6 city buses yet unregistered

CEBU, Philippines - A Cebu City Hall official confirmed that some of the city-owned buses being fielded in different parts of the city and sometimes even in the province have not yet been registered with the Land Transportation Office.

The rule is that no vehicle is allowed to be operated in public roads or highways without registering them first with the Land Transportation Office, but traffic enforcers just ignore these violations when the buses pass by in front of them.

Engr. Rolando Ardoza, head of the City Hall’s General Service Office, said his personnel are already applying for the registration of the six buses donated by Japan and Taiwan to Cebu City a few years ago, but still it was not approved by the LTO.

The personnel of the GSO failed to give a clear explanation why until now the six buses are not yet registered despite the P9 million the city spends annually for the maintenance of its vehicles.

A source said one of the reasons why the LTO has not yet approved the registration of the six vehicles is the lack of proof that the city paid its Customs duties and other taxes when these were brought here from other countries.

There are over 800 assorted vehicles owned by the city, but City Hall property custodian Claire Ouano said only the six buses are yet unregistered.

Policemen in Barili town apprehended some of these unregistered buses while these were being used to transport children to Kawasan Falls in Barangay Matutinao, Badian town, for a summer camp last year.

Mayor Michael Rama ordered Ardosa to speed up the registration of the vehicles, but he did not say if the unregistered buses will no longer be used pending the approval of its documents at the LTO.

Some persons are afraid that the city officials may face problems if the unregistered vehicles encounter accidents because insurance companies will not shoulder damages if the vehicles involved are not registered.

But Ardosa just said that the Government Service Insurance System had accepted the City Hall’s application for the insurance of the said unregistered vehicles.

“Gidawat man nila, ila mang gi-insure ang mga sakyanan,” Ardosa told reporters.

Private insurance companies usually refuse payment if the insured vehicles are not registered with the LTO or if it is driven by an unlicensed driver.

Under the memorandum order issued by the Department of Transportation and Communications any unregistered vehicle caught while being operated in public roads and highways will be impounded.

The driver of the unregistered vehicle will be fined P2,000 and the same amount shall be also collected from the vehicle owner. The policy is that the apprehended unregistered vehicle will be released only after the owner can present proof that the vehicle is already registered with the LTO. (FREEMAN)