Group defends PMVICs
A CONSUMER advocacy group has appealed to Sen. Grace Poe to take it easy on her criticisms against the operation of private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVICs).
The Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Mamamayan (AGHAM) led by its president, Angelo Palmones, a former congressman, said he believes that the continued presence of PMVICs has major implications on the environment as well as public safety.
“PMVICs are the next step in ensuring road safety, as has been institutionalized in all corners of our planet. AGHAM condemns the Senator for getting in the way of progress,” Palmones, a dzRH anchor, said.
“It is time to put an end to the rolling coffins and environmentally unsound vehicles that continue to ply our roads,” he added.
In a privilege speech, Poe told the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to address the alleged problems and headaches being caused to motorists by PMVICs during this time of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic.
These include alleged long queues sans physical distancing at the centers and alleged burdensome costs, especially when compared to more traditional Private Emission Testing Centers (PETCs).
For Palmones, PETCs facilitate the “status quo” which lead to unsafe driving conditions on top of continued air pollution.
“While it is necessary to ensure that the programs terms, guidelines, and operating regulations that led to the creation and authorization of PMVICs are within legal and constitutional bounds, let us not forget the system that this program is seeking to elevate and bring integrity to,” he said.
According to Palmones, solely relying on PETCs and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) District Office visual inspectors to determine vehicles’ roadworthiness and exhaust emissions compliance “has failed and will continue to fail the public unless it is completely revamped”.
“The status quo of non-appearance/no-show practiced by fixers in collusion with PETCs, insurance companies, and the LTO District Offices themselves, has been so institutionalized that the very mentality of Filipinos is no longer that of safety, but one of misplaced ‘convenience’, unspeakable corruption, and worst of all, complete disregard of Filipino lives,” he said.
He said that AGHAM has made it central to its advocacy to promote all initiatives of government that put science and technology first in improving the welfare of all Filipinos, regardless of politics.
