by Sarah Villano
Day in and day out, the streets are occupied by those reckless drivers and not to mention fumes coming out of their ride’s mufflers. It adds to the country’s carbon footprint that we are trying to cut down. Participating in this activity violates Republic Act No. 8749 or commonly known as the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 that stands in favor of both humans and nature through providing a framework to help maintain the quality of air.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are the agencies responsible for the creation of its Implementing Rules and Regulations, also to carry out the National Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program to reduce smoke from vehicles.
The problem here is that these agencies fail in doing their responsibility. There are many violators getting away with it. It is written in their policy that first-time violators are required to pay a fine of 1,000 pesos; second-time, 3,000 pesos; and a combination of a 5,000-peso fine and a 1-year motor vehicle registration suspension for third-time violators. Vehicles of violators will have their smoke-belching motor vehicles impounded while they settle their fine. In the case of public utility vehicles (PUVs), both the driver and the operator will have to pay the fine.
It is high time for the staff of these agencies to be stricter and more active in doing their jobs, so that there will be one less risk to think about when commuting or being behind a heavy smoke-belching vehicle.
As a commuter, one cannot help but complain about this threat to good health. To these violators, have the decency to take your vehicles for emission test. The test may be a tedious process but following the law will not do much harm. It might just save you some money, since not following rules equates to major consequences and nobody would want that to happen. This way, the country will gradually contribute to better living. This will surely save countless lives because less smoke helps in preventing more cases of lung cancer, tubercolosis, and other related diseases.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are the agencies responsible for the creation of its Implementing Rules and Regulations, also to carry out the National Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program to reduce smoke from vehicles.
The problem here is that these agencies fail in doing their responsibility. There are many violators getting away with it. It is written in their policy that first-time violators are required to pay a fine of 1,000 pesos; second-time, 3,000 pesos; and a combination of a 5,000-peso fine and a 1-year motor vehicle registration suspension for third-time violators. Vehicles of violators will have their smoke-belching motor vehicles impounded while they settle their fine. In the case of public utility vehicles (PUVs), both the driver and the operator will have to pay the fine.
It is high time for the staff of these agencies to be stricter and more active in doing their jobs, so that there will be one less risk to think about when commuting or being behind a heavy smoke-belching vehicle.
As a commuter, one cannot help but complain about this threat to good health. To these violators, have the decency to take your vehicles for emission test. The test may be a tedious process but following the law will not do much harm. It might just save you some money, since not following rules equates to major consequences and nobody would want that to happen. This way, the country will gradually contribute to better living. This will surely save countless lives because less smoke helps in preventing more cases of lung cancer, tubercolosis, and other related diseases.