RFID project to be reviewed
THE Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will review the Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) projects, as well as the concern aired by private emission testing centers (PETC).
Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres said the issues being raised by the transport groups regarding the RFID and the concerns of the PETC have already been forwarded to the DOTC.
Torres was referring to the request raised by public vehicle operators for the LTO to implement the RFID system which they believe would effectively address the colorum problem in the country.
Earlier, transport groups Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) and Pasang Masda wanted the LTO to push through with the RFID project seeing it as the most effective solution in eradicating illegal vehicles in the streets.
“I don’t see any reason why some people are against the RFID, but I believed that the project could severely affect the income of unscrupulous operators that are maintaining colorum vehicles,” said Pasang Masda president Roberto Martin.
The RFID program has been temporarily suspended by the Supreme Court (SC) after several groups including Bayan Muna and Pinag-Isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (Piston) filed a protest against its implementation.
Another concern was raised by PETC regarding the legality of the existence of the PETC-information technology providers that charges much higher fees compared to the fees of the PETC Direct system being ran by Stradcom Corp.
The group Alagaan Natin Inang Kalikasan (Anikalikasan) on Tuesday said they are wondering why the LTO has allowed separate PETC-IT providers to serve as a middleman in the verification and authentication of Emission Testing Certificates.
Anikalikasan said Stradcom charges lower fees than the private PETC-IT providers and it would better if the LTO would just retain the Direct connect program rather than allowing other IT providers to operate and charge the public more.
But Torres explained that these issues surrounding the agencies has been existing even before she was appointed as LTO chief that is why she has forwarded it to the DOTC for final decision.
“I’m not the one responsible for these programs and as LTO chief I will just wait for the orders that would be given to me by the DOTC leadership and implement it,” she added. (AH/Sunnex)