DOTr to remit millions in fines from erring private emission test centers
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation will remit to the National Treasury millions of pesos worth in fines collected from Private Emission Testing Centers found to have committed violations.
The said testing centers are "authorized private facilities of the DOTr which are engaged in testing the level of opacity and analysis of the gaseous emission of a motor vehicle” in accordance with the Philippine Clean Air Act (Republic Act 8749).
Since 2020 started, at least 86 PETCs have committed violations and collectively paid almost P10 million in penalties.
Violations found by the agency’s Investigation, Security and Law Enforcement Staff and Franchising Review Staff include having no testing probes, no testing machines and even the non-appearance of vehicles for testing or falsification of test results.
The DOTr also said that the collected fines have been significantly increasing since 2017.
Only P90,000 in fines was obtained from three erring testing centers in 2017. This went up by 500% to P450,000 in 2018.
Meanwhile, the period of April to December 2019 saw P10.89 million collected from 89 testing centers — not far from P9.9 million in fines collected in January 2020 alone.
Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said that the violations perpetrated by testing centers harm the public and environment alike, warning them about their accreditation.
“This increasing number of violators is a clear manifestation of their defiance to the law. Your accreditation as emission testing center is just a privilege given to you by the government. Do not wait for us to issue suspension orders or revocation of your permits to operate,” Tugade said in a release dated Tuesday.
As of Dec. 31, 2019, there are 142 accredited PETCs listed by the Department of Trade and Industry.
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