Mandatory PMVIC inspection still suspended, LTO says 

If you’re looking to renew your car’s registration soon, then be aware that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has clarified once again that going to a Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) for a mandatory inspection is still suspended. 

The Facebook post which reminds that mandatory inspections via PMVICs are still suspended

On that note, car owners can still opt to acquire the services of a PMVIC or a private emissions testing center (PETC) for the required LTO inspection as one of the steps in renewing their cars. This was ordered by the Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.  

According to the same Facebook post by the DOTr announcing the aforementioned update, the additional costs of having your car inspected at a PMVIC were also addressed. They did this by directing PMVIC owners to charge the same amount for the testing and inspection fee as PETCs. For that matter, reinspection or retest fees were also waived. 

As a side note, the mandatory vehicle inspection via PMVIC was suspended back in August 2021 and was supposed to be implemented in July. 

Going back to the recent reminder and Facebook post by the DOTr, several citizens have commented some interesting points in connection to PMVICs in general.  

One key point that was brought up was the fact that PETCs, which were numerous before, have shrunk in number as many already shut down. To this end, many need to travel great distances to a PMVIC that’s located in a nearby town or city. This is the case in Catbalogan City, Samar, where motorists need to travel to Calbayog City just for a vehicle inspection, which is a 60-kilometer drive.

Many also assume that inspections in PMVICs takes more time to complete than PETCs

Even in the National Capital Region (NCR), there are only 11 PMVICs as of August 2021. That’s hardly enough for the 1.5 million cars (2018 estimate) running around in Metro Manila. 

So why PMVICs? As said by the DOTr’s PMVIC Steering Committee back in July, having this system allows for a more thorough motor vehicle inspection. It can assess cars for their roadworthiness, and thus can ensure road safety. 

It has lofty goals, but it seems that PMVICs will still need a lot of ironing out before they can become a reality. 

Get the latest updates from the automotive industry, as well as the latest transport related news here on Philkotse.