By Alexandria San Juan
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will refund beginning next week the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) fees collected from motor vehicle owners for the RFID Project in 2009.
Land Transportation Office (MANILA BULLETIN)
Starting August 15, Thursday, the agency announced that motor vehicle registrants may claim their refund at the LTO District Office where it was collected.
According to LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, this was in compliance with a Supreme Court (SC) decision last January 31, 2017 directing them to refund the RFID fees.
"It is only right that government gives back the full amount, as well as the interest, to the respective motor vehicle owners," Galvante said in a statement on Friday.
Further, the LTO chief has signed last month Memorandum Circular No.2019-2170 which stated the procedure of its refund.
In the MC dated July 18, the agency will refund the full amount collected (P350) to each claimant.
On top of this, the LTO will add the P9 interest earned at the average rate of 0.3262 percent per annum, reckoned from February 1, 2010 to June 17, 2019.
Based on the data gathered by the agency, at least 85,567 motor vehicle owners will be able to claim their refund.
A master list of claimants was already distributed to corresponding LTO Regional and District Offices where it will be posted.
Meanwhile, for claimants who had paid at mobile sites or in offices which have been closed, particularly Region 3-OSS Pampanga and Region 7 Cebu Extension Office, they may claim the refund at the respective Regional Offices, LTO said.
It also reminds the claimant to submit an accomplished RFID Fee Refund Form and a copy of one valid government-issued ID.
While a corporation or juridical person has to submit an original and duly notarized Secretary’s Certificate for identification purposes.
In the 2017 decision issued by then SC Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the High Court declared that the memorandum of agreement between the government and Stradcom Corporation last 2009 was void for lack of public bidding.
The High Court also ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and LTO to refund to vehicle owners the money collected for RFID prior to the issuance of a status quo ante order in January 2010 which blocked the implementation of the RFID project.