A broken Subaru differential, a casa-maintained BMW with “weak” brakes, and now a Land Cruiser with an exhaust so loud it will literally kill you. We gave the LTO’s new motor vehicle inspection service or PMVIC the benefit of the doubt. And about a week in, the results are in: we, as motorists, are fucked.
To recall, the LTO came up with the system way back in 2019. It was a system that was going to build up on the emission testing to keep dilapidated and road-unworthy vehicles off the streets. Through a series of tests that comply with international standards (check the full test parameters here), it’s a modernization of the country’s rather archaic vehicle safety standards.
Or so we thought.
Questions first arose about this scheme when the LTO specified the sort of equipment that PMVICs could use. In the original proposal, they specified that only equipment that carried the “CE” or “Conformité Européenne” could be used. This meant that equipment only of European, and weirdly enough, Chinese origin could be used. Despite the Philippine market having predominantly Japanese makes and models, Japanese testing equipment can’t be used (since then, the LTO edited the guidelines to include “CE, ISO, or its equivalent.”)
Update: it has been confirmed to us that the LTO favored certain kinds of equipment for use in PMVICs—ones that don’t play well with all-wheel drive vehicles due to the lack of idle rollers. The LTO’s suggestion? Just shift them to two-wheel drive, and done. That’s good for four-wheel drive vehicles, but it’s not doable for Subarus and even some first-generation Fortuners. Yes, this deserves an 🙄 emoji right there.
The next plot twist was that any dealership or existing service center applying to be a PMVIC were turned down. These were, according to the LTO, “self-serving.” Instead, they identified operators who had little or no automotive experience. Take note: those with up to a consanguinity of up to the third degree to LTO’s PMVIC committee were also disqualified.
Casting more doubts, the LTO decided to push through with the PMVIC system in the middle of the pandemic, held public consultations (but didn’t announce it), and signed it into effectivity on December 29, 2020. It largely felt like a midnight signing—the sort of thing that flies below the radar.
And this is where we are today.
Yesterday, a Pampanga business leader Rene Romeo questioned the integrity of the PMVIC after his 2011 BMW Z4 failed the road worthiness test because of its brakes. Quoting the article:
Romero said his driver brought his 2011 BMW Z4 sports car car to the QWIK Motor Vehicle Inspection Center here last January 11 as part of its registration process with the Land Transportation Office.Romero said his Z4 is “casa-maintained and well-preserved” after logging some 7,000km. He added that while mounting a new set of tires, he also checked the Z4’s under chassis to make sure that it is in good condition.
After paying the P1,800 for the PMVIC testing fee, his driver was handed Number 85 for his turn at the facility at around 9 in the morning. He said it took three hours before the technicians started the roadworthiness inspection on the Z4.
Romero said he was surprised when his driver informed him that his car failed the testing procedure.
Disappointed, he said he immediately took his car to the BMW dealership in the City of San Fernando to check on the brake system. But after a thorough inspection, the BMW mechanics did not find anything wrong. Romero said he kept a copy of the inspection result from the BMW dealership.
He was able to return to QWIK PMVIC on January 15 to repeat the inspection process, which cost him another P 800. This time, he said, it was the manager who drove the Z4 to the inspection bay. The vehicle got a passing mark.
The same day, a Subaru Forester owner complained on Facebook about how another PMVIC borked his SUV’s center differential after it was treated as a front-wheel drive in the speedometer test.
For the uninitiated, an all-wheel drive vehicle can cook its center differential if the front and rear wheels spin at different speeds too much for too long. It’s for this reason why certain countries like the U.S. and the U.K. forego speedometer tests. It’s just too complicated (see update above).
But the biggest PMVIC shit show just happened today.
CAMPI—no not the CAMPI that’s supposed to be looking after the auto industry—but the Clean Air Movement of the Philippines posted on Facebook that a 2017 Land Cruiser failed the inspection for having an exhaust that’s too loud. While the legal standard is pegged at 99 decibels, the SUV supposedly recorded 655.2 decibels during inspection test.
Holy shit.
If you want to know how impossible this is, that figure from the PMVIC is louder than the Saturn V rocket that sent people to the moon (204 decibels) and even the explosion of the Krakatoa volcano (202 decibels measured from three miles away). 210 decibels is enough to pulverize a man’s internal organs, so it’s surprising that the inspector is still alive to give the Land Cruiser a failing grade.
At this point, we know what the DOTr and LTO’s playbook will be. They will say it’s all part of the growing pains of establishing a better, more substantiated road worthiness system. After which, you’ll have a senate inquiry into the matter, grilling the LTO for coming up with such a failure of a system. The LTO then apologies, re-thinks the entire thing, and goes through it once the controversy dies down (or everyone looks in another direction).
This makes us think: why are motorists always subject to experimentation. Shouldn’t the LTO have come up with a properly done system first before fully implementing it? Who loses in the end? If things don’t get resolved the proper way? Us.
P.S. Oh, for those wondering what is with the owner-type jeep in the main photo? That one passed the motor vehicle inspection with no problems.
Should've been implemented to a pilot prog/grp before public rollout. Like all govt vehicles first? :D
ReplyDeleteHahaha most government vehicle will fail
DeleteThe MC on operations guidelines said that the test fee is 1500 and not 1800 pesos. Also, the PMVIC in Valenzuela is not issuing an official receipt, violating the BIR regulations. DOTr should have a complaint section to process all these complaints.
ReplyDeleteAs always, trial and error na naman. Half baked policy and poor implementation. The intentions are good but they need to spend time studying different scenarios and properly executing new laws. Hindi yung maisipan lang then implement agad. Hay gobyerno..
ReplyDeleteDotr magaling sa pagimplement mga bagong programs, pinapatupad agad nila kadi naisip lng nila na daoat danun amg gawin pero di nman nila nakita at nagawa ng actual, basta amg ginawa naglabas ng memo thru regional directors and effective immediately... Just like the pmvic...naglabas bgla ng memo effective immediately thru its reqional directors ni hindi man naginform via dyaryo or khit man lng sa tv.
DeleteFOR THE LOVE OF MONEY!!! MAN WILL DO ANYTHING JUST TO GAIN!!!
ReplyDeleteI’m discouraged to buy a car because of this.
ReplyDeleteAnother Milking cow of this agency... Tsk tsk tsk..!!!
ReplyDeleteI knew it mas maganda brakes, exhaust system at differential ng owner type jeep.
ReplyDeleteOk i knew it. I knew it. This whole bull crap is bull crap. They are doing it the wrong way. This damn ppp of the lto, i know they need to roi fast but, this whole milking cow thing under the guise of safety crap, people are noticing, we are not going to take this sitting down. Why even pay for this? I randomly googled how they they do it in new jersey and even that is reasonable. Why, because they are not doing it for pera masquerading as safety. Bullying people like us who just pay? Milking us because we just hand over money no questions? Milking us because we are easy? Ay naku. Oh and will they pay if they destroy the vehicle? This is kalakohan. This thing won’t fly. They will be eaten alive. Sneaky lto and partnersssss. Yung ppp ba nila na partner nagpapacheck ng sportscars nila sa mga ginawa nilang testing centers ?Hahaahahaaha.
ReplyDeletegreat
ReplyDeleteWhat about the PUV'S plying our road that makes a lot of noise, and belching a lot of black pollutants! They should check on that!
ReplyDeleteIf the government was really serious in implementing this they should start first inspecting for the first 2 year of implementation.
ReplyDeleteGovernment Vehicles
Public Utility Vehicles (Jeep, Taxi, Tricycle)
Commercial Vehicles
Other For Hire (Grab)
As these are on the road the most.
kaya bumagsak yung magagarang sasakyan kasi may pambayad ulit sila yung jeep wala kaya pinasa nila.
ReplyDeleteThis is an embarrassment to the agency. Incompetence, greed, corruption and everything in between.
ReplyDeleteAnother sources of government corruption nanaman.Walang katapusang pahirap sa bay an.
ReplyDeleteThe argument of road worthiness counters the data of accidents as most likely human error, dui, disregarding traffic rules or signs. There wasn't even a public awareness or information to gradually shift on this type of inspection tests. They even left out the most important part of this modernization which is the riding public as the major thoroughfares of people. They failed with their modernization programs, and now privately owned pmvic test centers owned surely by these politicians are milking the fruit of their insensible implementing laws.
ReplyDeleteAll us drivers need to fight this scam..I feel sorry for Filipinos here they work hard for small wages then if their lucky enough to save for a used car and now the government is making it impossible to pass a inspection... It's crazy and you should be ashamed to be so greety
ReplyDeleteDuterte paaa. Appoint pa ng general. Du30 ulit kayo sa 2022.
ReplyDeleteSa totoo lang pwede naman bigyan ng lto permit ang mga casa na mag issue ng certificate para sa road worthyness ng sasakyan. Mas madali ito kc sa totoo lng yung 1,800 na gagastusin mo sa casa pandagdag sa repairs or chamge oil kc nag bibigay sila free checkup itong tinayo ng LTO na palpak na systema yung 1,800 mo sa bulsa lang nila mapupunta. How could a well maintained bmw casa maintained fail the test and a ownerntype jeep pass the inspection test with flying colors.... can somebody from lto explain?...Madami talaga ang nasa pamahalaan ay kulang kulang.
ReplyDeleteCorruption lang yan. sa lto sobra. pag di ka kumuha ng indurance tpl sa kanila during registration sasabihin sayo cutoff na sila samantalang kapag dun sa kanila pwede pa kahit pasara na cla. experience it tested it many times
ReplyDeleteMga abnoy kasi un nag implement nyan. Gaya gaya sa ibang bansa e palpak naman un scheme nila tapos ang target lang ay private vehicles. Napaka stupid idea. Mas madami sumasakay sa public utility vehicles saka mas madaling mag deteriorate yan kasi araw araw ginagamit tapos un mga driver e bara bara lang kung magmaneho. Kagaguhan yang scheme nayan. Gusto nila road worthiness ng mga sasakayan e yung mga kalsada naman sa pinas e bagsak sa quality standard.
ReplyDeletehinde ko mo casa maintain papasa ka kayo.minsan puro ojt lang nagawa sa sasakyan sa casa.pag nag change oil papatuluin 3ltr lang para palusot yun isang litro.sa brake naman spray lang ng brake cleaner ok na. meron nga ako na pms 10 years casa maintain tapos pag check ko ng transmission oil kulang. 50odo meter walang isang litro laman ng tranny.nabayad kayo tama pero niloloko kayo.ang sabi casa sa rear diff daw na di na aalign ang tanong bibile ba kayo sasakyan na naka neg cam na 12 sa rear wheel.nilalagyan ng shim yon para ma align.sa brake self adjusting nga ang rear brake pero puro spray lang sa casa gagawin sa tingin nyo.mag papantay kaya preno kapag stock up na.ang gulong nyo na makapal pero expired sasabihin nyo ok pa.pero pag sumabog yan sa daan. sasabihin nyo kaya ok pa yon.
ReplyDeletesa sampung tama ng pmvic pero yun isang male nakikita.napakaganda proyekto ito ng gobyerno wag natin sirain dahil tayong lahat makikinabang dito.kapag road worthy na lahat ng sasakyan sa daan.
I hope before they inspect the cars they first inspect the integrity and competence of their people. It's apparent that this is another scam to milk people of their money. This agency deserves all the hatred it gets. I hope everyone who had a hand in having this implemented reap the suffering caused to everyone.
ReplyDeletewalang corruption?
ReplyDeleteweh?
panigurado ang accredited PMVIC centers ay pag mamayari ng mga taga ahensya ng DOTR
wais dba??
Update: it has been confirmed to us that the LTO favored certain kinds of equipment for use in PMVICs—ones that don’t play well with all-wheel drive vehicles due to the lack of idle rollers. The LTO’s suggestion? Just shift them to two-wheel drive, and done. That’s good for four-wheel drive vehicles, but it’s not doable for Subarus and even some first-generation Fortuners.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.scoop.it/topic/madani-farm-jogja
Jual Anakan Domba Daur Hidup Kambing Bibit Rumput Pakchong Pupuk Kandang Bantul Jogja
Question: Meron bang accredited PMVICs sa QC? Been googling it pero wala ko makita, thanks!
ReplyDeleteAwarding it to their friends este “private sector” smells 💯 % corruption
ReplyDeleteNot to shade on the owner of the owner type jeep but there lies the demographic of vehicles (or more precisely vehicle owners) that the PMVIC is targetting to “fail” in its inspections.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a good idea.but this is good for those using government vehicle.so very clear that this way of inspections is Parusa sa mamayan pilipino specially Low wage earner.mahal ng Diyos ang every decision we made specially leaders of the Land their a great accountability before the Lord.someday all of us will face judgement before the Lord.
ReplyDeleteTaena, gumawa talagang eksena yang LTO na yan. Theyre just one of the puppets diverting our attention to this kind of bullshit. 15 billion nga ng philhealth di na binabalitaan tas iinscrease daw nila yung kaltas natin sa philhealth. Inshort tayu padin magbabayad non. Going back, By May or June baka bumalik sa dati. As usual 4-6 months mawawala din yang mga pmvic na yan, bubuksan at aapribahan ulit nila mga emission centers niya. ALL THIS BULLSHIT IS JUST FOR THEIR "EXTRA" INCOME.
ReplyDeleteThings why I didn't renew my car 2019 or 2020. I went today to renew and it failed speed odo test hahaha. And they said they couldn't do the stenciling because too hard until I flashed 500 pesos. Then they jumped up and did it.
ReplyDelete