After left and right issues about mandatory testing and Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVIC), owners of testing centers have finally spoken. Let’s hear their side this time.

Apparently, all PMVIC owners in the county are in one group called Vehicle Inspection Centers Operators Association of the Philippines or VICOAP. This group of owners is ready to voice out their sentiments, more so after receiving heavy criticisms from the Senate.

“It was unfortunate that representatives from our industry were not invited to the committee hearing to answer the accusations and lies hurled against PMVIC operators. The non-stop black propaganda not only undermines our duly accredited processes, it also impedes progress for road safety in the country as well,” said VICOAP Spokesperson Atty. Fudge Tajar.

In the Senate hearing, Vice Mayor Mannix Ortega of San Juan, La Union was invited as a resource speaker in the budget hearing and said that roadworthiness machine testing of PMVICs is debatable. In addition, another resource person named Ariel Lim said that PMVICs are only conducting emission testing similar to Private Emission Testing Centers (PETC).

In their response, VICOAP said all testing equipment used in PMVICs have undergone regulatory procedures in the Philippines. That said, machines are also the same machines used in vehicle inspection facilities all around the globe. It further added that there’s no comparison between a PETC and PMVIC as the latter includes visual inspection of above and under-carriage, sideslip test for wheel alignment, suspension test, roller brake test, speedometer test, headlight test, exhaust noise level test, and exhaust emission test.

Moreover,  Atty. Fudge Tajar stressed that resource speakers should stop ranting about the fees as the rate has long been reduced to Php 600 for light vehicles, Php 500 for motorcycles, and Php 300 for for-hire vehicles.