21 September 2011

LTO tightens emission testing guidelines


Motorists are now required to submit their vehicles to smoke emission testing only at private emission testing centers (PETC) located within the district area of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) from where they file or renew registration papers.
LTO chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres has ordered the strict implementation of the rule on geographical area of responsibility (GAOR) to all regional LTO directors, assistant directors, district office heads and even operators of PETCs and PETC-information technology firms nationwide.
In a memorandum, Torres said that starting this month, LTO district offices will only accept for registration purposes vehicles that have obtained certificates of emission compliance from PETCs located within the same LTO district office’s service area.
A legitimate certificate of emission compliance is necessary before a vehicle is registered with the LTO in compliance with the Clean Air Act of 1999. Annual emission testing is also necessary for the renewal of the motor vehicle registration.
Torres said the directive is aimed at curbing the LTO’s perennial problem of non-appearance of motor vehicles for emission testing in which unscrupulous owners prefer to bribe PETCs to certify emission compliance without inspecting the motor vehicle.
The LTO chief said she has received information that a number of PETCs issue certificates of emission compliance to vehicles even if the units are registered at LTO offices geographically distant from them.
“If your vehicle is registered at the LTO Diliman district office in Quezon City, why should you take your car for emission testing in Pampanga or someplace else? This has been the case in the past and we think this setup is prone to cases of non-appearance,” Torres said.
Torres said the strict implementation of GAOR will force motorists to take their vehicles only to PETCs near the LTO offices where they will obtain registration papers and discourage them from pursuing under-the-table arrangements with remote PETCs who accept bribes in exchange of falsifying emission test results.

By KRIS BAYOS
Manila Bulletin

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