The Senate Committee on Public Services continues to expect a complete response from the Department of Transportation (DoTr) regarding the highly anomalous Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVICs) which was forced upon a motoring public which is already facing a worldwide crisis.
The implementation of the proposed PMVICs system that aims to replace the Private Emission Testing Centers (PETCs) was questioned by Senate Public Services Chair Grace Poe, due to the hollow and vague statements the DoTr issued during an earlier hearing on the said matter.
Among the questions raised by the Committee Chairperson were: Why did it change its policy and suddenly implicitly allowed DoTr and LTO employees to own a PMVIC unless they are part of the accreditation committees? Why did it approve the testing fees to increase by 300% – a rate which has not undergone stakeholder consultations? And why did it not utilize the Motor Vehicle User’s Fund to finance the construction of inspection centers that can offer its services for free to Filipino motorists?
Instead of offering a proper response to the criticism laid out, the DoTr resorted to obfuscate the issue by way of chatter. The DoTr released a statement, which despite its clear narrative, still would not suffice as a proper response considering its format, its publication, and the indignant tone it has set on what should be a matter of public governance and public trust. The DOTr is content with mere chatter which signifies nothing.
Further, the DoTr decided to blow the matter out of proportion by creating an argument on what good faith is when it comes to public service. The monologue on good faith released by the DoTr on its news platform has incited that good faith is not what is being practiced by the Committee and the Chairperson regarding the questioning of the PMVICs implementation.
For now, the Committee Chairperson is yet to release a clear statement or response to the claims made by the DoTr; the reason probably could be that such platforms are not the venue to discuss matters meant to be examined through a legal manner and in the form of public consultation.
As struggling Filipinos await if indeed the new system in place is free of any form of malpractice, agencies concerned continue to do what they do best in times of practicing the “supposed” good faith by averting the public’s eyes into the misplaced scrutiny of those who are truly practicing the good faith.
– from a concerned citizen