Various transport groups, along with a group of lawyers, have joined forces to oppose a policy of the Department of Transportation using the motor vehicle inspection system for common carriers.
At a news conference in Quezon City, Ariel Inton, Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection founding president, said the DOTr and its attached agency, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, must look into the “connection of policy with the concern of the public.”
Transport leaders and their members are not here just to criticize the government but to air their sentiments,” he told reporters.
Efren de Luna of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators and other transport leaders yesterday joined the conference.
He threatened to hold a “bigger” and “nationwide” transport holiday, saying “all of them will not pass the requisites under the new MVIS regulation.”
The group is called the National Public Transport Coalition composed of operators and drivers of taxi, jeepney, transport network vehicle services, motorcycle taxi, UV Express, tricycle, bus, and truck services.
De Luna, Modi Floranda of Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor, Teody Vergasio of the truckers’ associations and Exequiel Longares of 1-Utap, opposed the policies on privatization using the MVIS for common carriers, especially making Euro 4 the emissions standard.
“MVIS is implemented to ensure road safety. Roadworthiness should be the criteria, and the year model,” the group said.
The NPTC hit the MVIS fees of P5,000 or more annually for jeepney, bus and truck operators.