Legarda Asks DOTr to Strengthen Monitoring of Vehicle Emissions

Senator Loren Legarda today asked the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to strengthen the monitoring of emissions from motor vehicles in compliance with the Clean Air Act (RA 8749).

Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and co-author of RA 8749, made the statement after the DOTr revealed that none of its smoke emission testing machines are working.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said he is not aware why all the machines were broken and why these were not replaced but he assured that under his watch, the agency will immediately acquire smoke emission testing machines through the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) Fund.

“I am very concerned about the state of air quality. Smoke-belching vehicles continue to ply our roads even if they should be penalized for polluting the air. Our people will greatly benefit if we are able to strictly implement the law to address smoke belching. We must have cleaner air so we prevent lung diseases and improve overall health,” Legarda explained.

The Senator also said that the DOTr, particularly the Land Transportation Office (LTO), should simplify its hotline for smoke belching reports and to use social media as a venue to report these violations.

The current LTO hotline where citizens can report smoke-belching vehicles is (02) 921-9073.

“LTO should simplify the hotline and make it more accessible. Our emissions testing centers should also be more efficient and strictly implement the law against smoke-belching,” said Legarda.

The DOTr assured that it will strengthen the monitoring of emissions testing centers and said that they are working on a more efficient transport system, advocating for the use of electric vehicles so that in the long run there will be no need for emissions testing.