LTO vows no-nonsense drive vs smoke belching public utility and private vehicles

MANILA, July 29 (PNA) -- Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres vowed a no-nonsense drive against smoke belching public utility and private vehicles plying the country's thoroughfares.

"There will be no sacred cows in my term, I will be fair and punish those that would be found engaging on illegal practices," Torres said after their recent meeting with operators of Private Emission Testing Centers Operators Association (PETCOA), Coalition of Clean Air Advocates (CCAA) and agency officials where the problem were among the issues discussed.

To enforce the crackdown, Torres enlisted the help of legitimate private emission testing centers calling on them to police their own ranks and submit to her office evidence against any emission testing center engaged in illegal activities such as "non-appearance" operation in which owners of smoke-belching vehicle can get their clearance without an appearance by shelling out a certain amount of money.

"I believe that the most effective way to address the smoke belching problem is to attack it from the source because vehicles that are unfit to run can be traced even before it is allowed to be registered," the official said.

According to the LTO chief, there are still some PETCs that are engaged in such unlawful practice and this is being done in connivance with their respective Information Technology (IT) providers the one that provides the LTO proof that emission tests are legitimate.

Torres said she is very serious on her campaign that she is willing to suspend the direct connect of some PETCs to their IT provider just to eliminate "non-appearance."

At present, there are PETCs that are being served by independent IT providers and there are those directly connected to Stradcom.

Torres assured them that she will not hesitate to shut down the operation of any PETC that would be found engaged in non-appearance regardless if they are directly connected to Stradcom or members of PETCOA.

"We support the Clean Air Act and we will eliminate non-appearance operation even if it means closing down most of the PETCs operating in the country," Torres stressed.

PETCOA, for its part, said that it would police its ranks adding that there have been some members of the association in the past that have been suspended through the efforts of PETCOA.

"Like the LTO chief, we at the PETCOA are against non- appearance and we will not stop until such practice is eliminated," said Tony Halili, PETCOA president.

Aside from the LTO, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) also re-launched its drive against smoke belchers by reactivating its anti-smoke belching unit.

MMDA general manager Robert Nacianceno said the agency has purchased five additional smoke testing machines to intensify its roadside apprehensions of public utility vehicles and private vehicles that discharge too much smoke.

The MMDA is deputized by the LTO in the implementation of Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act. (PNA)