MANILA, Philippines --- President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered not to make mandatory the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS), Malacañang said Thursday.

"Hindi na po mandatory ang MVIS. Ibig sabihin, kinakailangan walang bagong singil, walang karagdagang singil para sa pagpaparehistro ng mga sasakyan," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(The MVIS will no longer be mandatory. Meaning, there will be no additional fees in registering for cars.)

"Ito ang naging desisyon ng Presidente kung saan binalanse ng Pangulo ang pinagdadaanan ng ating mga kababayan sa gitna ng krisis na nararanasan hindi lang ng Pilipinas kundi ang buong mundo," he added.

(This was the decision of the President where he balanced the needs of the public amid the pandemic.)

The Senate committee on public services earlier recommended the temporary suspension of the operations of Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVICs) as more issues and questions were raised during the panel's hearing on Tuesday.

Senators have also grown "highly suspicious" of the decision of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to privatize the vehicle inspection program, saying the move is prone to corruption.

Senator Grace Poe, who led a hearing into the implementation of the MVIS, cited figures estimated by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto that the 23 private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVICs) currently operating stand to earn P8 billion annually, while the DOTr will only get P100,000 from each private operators annually.

By: Daphne Galvez
Source: Inquirer Mobile