Beep-beep: Mr. President, please don’t privatize the MVIS

People were greeted by awful traffic jams on the streets leading up to the gates of Malacañang Monday morning as car owners, tricycle, bus and jeepney operators, and motorcycle owners staged a rally at the Mendiola Bridge.

 

They are protesting the proposed privatization of the Motor Vehicle Inspection System that President Benigno Aquino III is supposed to sign on Tuesday. 

 

On the phone Herminio Buerano Jr., president of the Coalition of Clean Air Advocates of the Philippines, notes that the privatization of the MVIS is a concern of every motorists and transport organization.

 

Here’s why. According to the CCAAP official, MVIS registration fees will increase to P1,200 from P350.00 for three years for private cars. 

 

UV Express and bus inspection fees up will go up to P1,200 from P115.00.

 

For trucks and private buses the fees will go up to P3,000 from P115.00.

 

Motorcycle inspection fees will increase to P750.00 from P550.00 and for tricycles to P750.00 from P50.00 for each inspection year.

 

Buerano notes that the cause of the problem stems from an August 6, 2014 letter,  written by Land Transportation Office Assistant Secretary Alfonso Tan Jr. to Arsenio Balisacan, secretary general of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

 

Privatizing the MVIS would usher in the automation of the inspection process, according to the LTO official. 

 

“The project aims to install automated centers throughout the Philippines,” Tan said. “This solution will eradicate the rampant practice of non-appearance inspections and emission testing of vehicles. Higher standards will also be implemented by this project to protect the public from un-roadworthy motor vehicles.”

 

In a position paper on the issue at hand, Buerano argues that a privately-run MVIS will only complicate matters and probably open new doors for corruption. 

 

“It is not an assurance that corruption will stop. Infusion of private money will only result to exorbitant fees charged to our already burdened people. The acceptable choice is really the government funded MVIS which is part of the Clean Air Act of 1999. 

 

“Yearly collections from the Motor Vehicle Users Charge (MVUC) or Road Users Tax from almost eight million motor vehicles in the country today can fully fund the government MVIS program without private funds.”

 

The essence of the Philippine Clean Air Act on motor vehicle pollution control is a two-pronged approach on the issue of air pollution from cars: the maintenance aspect and the inspection aspect. One will not work and cannot be efficiently implemented without the other. 

 

This was how the Clean Air Act law was crafted by the original proponents whose intent was to safeguard the quality of air that we breathe today.  

 

This check and balance will ensure that the motor vehicle will always comply with the emission standards that the law requires. 

 

“Graft and corruption will also be checked if this dual system, as originally designed by the law, will be fully operationalized,” according to the CCAAP.

 

The people have expressed an urgent appeal to President Aquino: Please, don’t sign or endorse the privatization of the MVIS program.

 

Instead, the President should order the full implementation of the government funded MVIS program, in line with section 21-d of R.A. 8749.

 

Will the President heed the call of his “Bosses?” 

 

Saan po ba ang daang matuwid? 

 

Beep-Beep! – VS, GMA News

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