Car smoke test firms defend LTO direct access project

MANILA, Philippines – A group of private emission testing centers (PETCs) defended the Direct Connect Facility of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), saying it is a more efficient and effective means of ensuring the integrity of the emission testing process.

Rodolfo Susi, chairman of Alagaan Natin ang Inang Kalikasan, a nationwide group of PETCs accredited by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), belied allegations that the facility, operated by LTO computerization contractor Stradcom Corp., was the cause of non-appearance (NA) cases occurring in the car emission testing process exposed recently.

Susi said NA cases have been taking place even before the establishment of the project.

Rival PETC groups led by the PETC Operators Association, headed by Antonio Halili, and information technology (IT) firms providing connectivity to PETCs for the real-time upload of photographs taken of all car emission tests, had earlier attributed a supposed surge in NA cases among erring emission test centers to the direct connect facility project.

Susi said the best way to solve non-appearance problem is for the DOTC to come up with strict technical standards that the PETC IT providers and Stradcom must follow.