After calling on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to reconsider the planned implementation of the Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) program, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday welcomed DOTR’s efforts to ensure no additional costs would be shouldered by motorists at this time despite the implementation of the new motor vehicle inspection system (MVIS).
Go said Transportation Secretary Art Tugade informed him that fees for new MVIS would be the same as the earlier implemented mandatory smoke emission testing.
Hence, despite expanding the requirements for vehicle inspection and improving mechanisms to ensure road-worthiness of vehicles, the costs to be shouldered by motorists will remain unchanged.
“Totoo naman na kailangan nating siguraduhin ang road worthiness ng mga sasakyan. Huwag lang natin dagdagan ang pasakit na pinapasan ngayon ng taumbayan,” Go said. (It is true that we should ensure the roadworthiness of our vehicles. But there should not be increased costs that would be shouldered by our countrymen.)
Go said Tugade reached out to the officers of the association of MVIS operators and stakeholders of the road sector to push for a ‘pandemic special rate’ that would ensure that no unnecessary burden is imposed on ordinary Filipinos at this time.
Go lauded this initiative stressing that government must exert all efforts to unburden ordinary Filipinos who are struggling to make ends meet amid difficulties caused by the ongoing pandemic.
“Nakiusap po tayo na baka pwedeng huwag muna ngayon. Napakinggan naman ang hinaing ng nakararami kaya sisiguraduhin ng DOTR na hindi mapipilitan ang taumbayan na gumastos ng dagdag mula sa kanilang pinagpapawisang pera,” Go said, emphasizing that the Duterte Administration listens to the concerns of ordinary Filipinos and always prioritizes their welfare. (We pleaded that it is not the right time. We were assured by DOTr that it heard the complaints of the many that they should not be made to pay more from their hard-earned money.)
He also said that implementing the new MVIS now would give authorities the opportunity to improve the system further while motorists adjust to these new requirements without incurring additional costs during these trying times.
“Pag-aralan natin nang mabuti ang implementasyon nito para maisaayos ang sistema at mapaganda ang serbisyo nang walang dagdag gastos sa ordinaryong mamamayan,” Go urged. (We should study carefully the implementation of this program to make it orderly and improve the services without imposing added costs to the ordinary citizens.)
The senator also urged authorities to always find a balance between safety and the greater public good especially at a time when Filipinos are struggling to make ends meet.