THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) will go after motorcycles with modified mufflers, locally known as “bora-bora.”
A memorandum signed by LTO chief Edgar Galvante described the modified mufflers as “undesirable” and has an “irritating sound.” The memorandum also cited Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade’s order to apprehend motorycles-for-hire (habal-habal), which have “contributed to the emission of much carbon dioxide.”
The memorandum was signed on April 29, 2019, but its copies were received by the LTO regional offices only last June 3.
“We are already preparing our operational plan for this directive, subject to the proper guidelines. What we want to avoid is arbitrary apprehensions that (will) not just cause inconvenience, but also unjust action subjected to motorists and the public in general,” said LTO 7 Director Victor Caindec.
Caindec said he received the memorandum through a message on Viber. There was no formal transmittal of the memo.
Based on LTO regulations, the sound of a motorcycle’s muffler must not exceed 115 decibels.
Aside from being fined with P5,000, the violator’s motorcycle will be impounded. (From HBL of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)