DOTC, MMDA, DENR to crack down on smoke belchers

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will launch an aggressive campaign to crack down on smoke-belching vehicles in the metropolis in coordination with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DOTC Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the department will also close down unscrupulous private emission testing centers (PETCs) that engage in anomalous emission tests, allowing smoke-belching vehicles to get registration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Roxas noted that while the joint DOTC-DENR task force had issued closure orders against 22 erring PETCs last year, some continue to operate.

Dr. Oscar Tinio, president of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) which earlier threatened to file a P1 billion lawsuit against the DOTC for its failure to implement the Clean Air Act, said they will no longer pursue the case and will instead support the multi-agency effort to be led by the DOTC and DENR to go after smoke-belching vehicles.