DOTC to tap private firms for motor vehicle inspection

 Economy
Dec 272013
 

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is looking at the possibility of privatizing the motor vehicle inspection function of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) after a series of accidents claiming the lives of passengers.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the government is studying the possibility of adopting the public private partnership (PPP) scheme for the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) of LTO.

Abaya said the agency would seek the opinion of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) whether the government could procure the services of the private sector for the LTO function.

 “We are going to NEDA because apparently the government is not in a position to procure and operate all of these (MVIS). Do we allow private sector to come in?” he asked.

The MVIS was put in place several years ago with an end view of providing a systematic, reliable and effective testing of motor vehicles through computerization and automation for compliance to safety and emission requirements.

The program is aimed at helping comply with existing motor vehicle standards, provision of national laws and international agreements; ensuring compliance to safety and emission standards; and integrating all motor vehicle inspection reports into a central motor vehicle database.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

The program is supposed to prevent or minimize air pollution; eliminate not roadworthy motor vehicles; reduce traffic accidents due to improper maintenance; eliminate illegally modified vehicles; and improve fuel consumption by appropriate check or maintenance.

Under the program, the government was supposed to put up MVIS sites all over the country.

However, Abaya said the government has only established four to five MVIS sites all over the country and the LTO is having a hard time operating and maintaining these inspection sites.

 “We will see if the private sector has an appetite for this. The DOTC and LTO will be purely regulating the standards,” he added.

The DOTC chief stressed the need for a strict inspection system due to the series of fatal accidents particularly involving public utility vehicles.

The most recent accident involved a Don Mariano Transit bus that fell of the elevated portion of the Skyway killing 18 people mostly passengers.

LTO, LTFRB intensify inspection of province-bound buses for Xmas exodus

 News
Dec 192013
 
LTO, LTFRB intensify inspection of province-bound buses for Xmas exodus

With Filipinos expected to start flocking to the provinces for the holidays, transportation officials on Friday started inspecting buses to make sure they are roadworthy. The inspections are expected to be stricter following last Monday’s fatal accident involving a bus at the Skyway, radio dzBB’s Glen Juego reported. On Friday, Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board enforcers made the rounds of bus terminals and checked units heading for the provinces. A photo posted on Twitter by dzBB’s Juego showed the inspectors checking the buses, including their baggage compartments. LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez said LTFRB personnel have instructions to pay attention to the condition of the buses’ tires and lights. The yearly exodus, where Filipinos are to flock to the provinces to spend Christmas and New Year with their families, is expected to peak starting this weekend. On the other hand, transportation officials have tightened their watch on buses following Monday’s fatal accident involving a Don Mariano Transport Corp. bus. In Monday’s accident, a Don Mariano bus flew off the elevated portion of Skyway and crashed into the service road below, killing at least 18 people. A separate report by dzBB’s Juego said the Araneta bus terminal in Quezon City was crowded as of 7 a.m. Friday, with people heading for the provinces. Many cabbies waited outside the bus terminal for passengers who may come from the provinces to spend the holidays in Metro Manila. Several of the passengers were heading for Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan, Read More …

LTO: Over 6,000 drug users kept off the road from January to April

 News
Jun 252013
 
LTO: Over 6,000 drug users kept off the road from January to April

More than 6,000 applications for driver’s license have been rejected by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in the first four months of the year after the applicants tested positive for illegal drug use. “Na-prevent natin itong mga nag-positive from being a risk to their fellow motorists,” Dr. Louie Miranda of the LTO Central Office told GMA News Online by phone Tuesday. The LTO has expressed reservations over Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, which scraps mandatory drug testing from the list of requirements needed in applying for a driver’s license. Citing latest data, Miranda said the 6,670 rejected applicants were placed under alarm, meaning they were barred from driving and can apply again only after six months. Although the number represents only a small percentage of those who applied for a driver’s license, it still shows that mandatory drug test is effective in preventing drug users from becoming licensed drivers, Miranda said. “Maliit siya pero ang punto is nakapag-prevent tayo ng more than 6,000 na applicants from getting their license or from renewing it,” he said. For the previous year, the LTO issued more than 4.5 million driving licenses. Figures for the current year are not yet available. Inconsistent Sen. Vicente Sotto III, principal author of RA 10586, said the provision in the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 that requires the LTO to conduct mandatory drug testing for license applicants has been revoked by the new law. He said the Repealing Clause in RA Read More …

LTO yet to scrap mandatory drug tests for driver's license application

 News
Jun 242013
 
LTO yet to scrap mandatory drug tests for driver's license application

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has yet to stop requiring mandatory drug tests for applicants for driver’s license despite a law revoking it. “Kailangan po iyon,” LTO chief Virginia Torres said in an interview on GMA News TV’s “Kape at Balita” Monday when asked if drug testing is still required in the application or renewal of driver’s license. Torres, however, said she would meet with some government agencies this week to discuss Republic Act 10586, which, according to its principal author Sen. Tito Sotto, scraps “costly” drug tests as a requirement. “Ito nga po ay pag-aaralan namin ng mabuti,” Torres said, adding agencies that will participate in the meeting are the Department of Health, National Police Commission, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Science and Technology. “At syempre iimbitahin din namin ang mga taga-OSG [Office of the Solicitor General] para maesplika talaga ang batas na ito sapagkat nagkakaroon nga po ng iba’t ibang interpretation,” she said. “Iyan po ay malalaman namin after June 27,” Torres added. In a statement, Sen. Vicente Sotto III said the mandatory drug test, a requirement under the Dangerous Drug Act of 2002, has been revoked by the RA 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013. He said the scrapping of a “useless requirement” will allow motorists “a respite from costly drug tests,” which is worth P200. Sotto stressed that the Repealing Clause in RA 10586 “specifically stated that the clause on mandatory drug testing was among Read More …