Five emission testing centers lose license

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has cancelled the license to operate of five private emission testing centers (PETCs) after they were found to have continuously committed irregularities in their operations.

Transportation Undersecretary for Land Transport Arturo Valdez identified the five erring PETCs as Auto Sources Inc. in Manila; X-Zone PETC in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija; X-Zone PETC in Tayug Pangasinan; DAX Smoke ETC in Laguna; and San Pablo ETC in Laguna.

The five PETCs were closed from Feb. 13 to July 14 this year during continuous monitoring operations of the DOTC against PETCs committing violations in conducting proper smoke emission tests on vehicles seeking certificates of environmental compliance (CECs).

"We will continue our monitoring of these PETCs to ensure the integrity of the emission tests and make sure that smoke-belching vehicles are kept off our streets," Valdez told The Star.

The violations of the five PETCs range from issuing CECs without actual inspections, having only one technician to man their centers, and non-interface of their emission machines with the computer data base of the Land Transportation Office.

The DOTC suspended a total of 82 PETCs for various violations starting last year.

A total of 52 PETCs are currently suspended after the DOTC lifted the suspension of 30 PETCs who have followed their regulations and procedural requirements and specifications.