San Fernando, La Union moves to suspend the operation of PMVIC

The San Fernando City, La Union Council recently announced that it has moved to suspend the Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) operating in the City. Making this the first local government to express its dissatisfaction over the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS).

This was pushed given that all present members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of San Fernando unanimously approved the resolution passing during a session presided over by Vice Mayor Alf Ortega. The SP committee on transportation and traffic management met a representative from LTO in order to address their concerns and issues regarding the PMVIC. 

The discussion between both parties allowed them to potentially suspend PMVIC operations as supported by the following grounds:

• The inspection and re-inspection fees for motor vehicles set by the PMVICs add to the heavy burden already being experienced by everyone on account of the prevailing health emergency.
• The PMVIC based in the city has violated Section 19 of the LTO Memorandum Circular No. 2018-2158, which provides that the complaints and feedback of customers should be monitored and analyzed, and the contents of the LTO’s Quality Management Procedure Manual should be observed in Handling Client’s complaints related to the implementation of the motor vehicle inspection system (MVIS).
• The General Welfare clause of Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code), states that the concerned officials and personnel of the City Government need time to check and observe the facilities’ operations and personnel of PMVIC to ensure that they are able and ready to efficiently deliver the service that owners of private vehicles deserve and pay for.

The move could result in a cascade of different regions moving to suspend the PMVIC and MVIS implementation in the near future. Local governments could investigate the PMVICs first before full implementation and operations are realized.