LTO to shut down erring Mindanao PETCs

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Office assured all private emission testing centers in Mindanao that all erring PETCs caught engaging in anomalous smoke testing especially in the so-called “non-appearance” (NA) cases face closure and and revocation of permits to operate.

Virginia Torres, LTO chief, made the assurance when she met all the operators and owners of PETCs in Mindanao and other stakeholders at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City recently to discuss the LTO’s thrust to ensure the implementation of mandatory smoke emission testing provided for by the Clean Air Act.

Torres made the visit to Davao to promote vigilance against violations of mandatory smoke emission testing in line with the LTO’s observance of the Clean Air Awarneness Month last month.

Based on Proclamation 1109 issued in 1997, November is declared a Clear Air Act Month.

According to Torres, in line with the implementation of the Clean Air Act, they have tightened regulations on non-appearance policy on the PETCs and stakeholders. She said that emission testing centers are now facing closure or revocation for facilitating non-appearance policy despite mandatory smoke emission testing.

“Next year more than a hundred PETCs will be revoked. In fact we already revoked three and another 22 (is to follow),” Torres said. Torres said that from more than 700 PETCs nationwide, more than a hundred will be closed down by the end of this year.

Along with the strict implementation of the Clean Air Act, LTO has also improved vehicles inspection and maintenance program by their Motor Vehicle Inspection Service (MVIS).

“We have this because we have MVIS wherein a motor vehicle is inspected before it is registered. PETCs are for the private vehicles,” she said.