Bong Go welcomes deferment of implementing child car seat law, offer of special pandemic rate for PMVIS; says gov't must do its best to unburden Filipinos at this time

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go thanked Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Land Transportation Office chief Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante for not adding new burdens to ordinary Filipinos by putting on hold the imposition of certain requirements under the child car seat law and the private motor vehicle inspection system (PMVIS) program.

"Salamat kay Secretary Tugade at Assistant Secretary Galvante, ipinagpaliban na muna nila. Paigtingin muna ang education campaign," Go said during a radio interview on Friday, February 12.

"Hindi naman po makakalabas pa ang mga bata sa ngayon, bakit natin mamadaliin pag-implement nitong child car seat law, oobligahin nating bumili ang taumbayan, eh, naghihirap nga po. 'Wag muna ngayon," he explained.

As for the new PMVIS, Go reiterated that the government must exert all efforts to unburden Filipinos from any additional requirements while the country is still addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Marami akong narinig na reklamo, pipila sila sa MVIS at 'di sila maka-rehistro. Halimbawa, 'yung sasakyan o motor may diperensya konti, 'di pumasa, ibabalik n'ya, ipapaayos n'ya, babayad na naman siya," Go explained.

"Sa sasakyan P1,500 (to 1,800 for initial inspection). Kapag pinaayos 'yung sasakyan bayad na naman siya. Babalik na naman siya, another testing, bayad nanaman... Isipin n'yo po 'yung P1,500 (para sa sasakyan), 'yung sa motor P600 --- katumbas po iyan ng full tank. Hindi lang po full tank, ilang araw na po 'yang ulam po sa mga hapagkainan ng bawat Pilipino," Go added.

According to Go, this is the reason why he appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte and Sec. Tugade to reconsider first the implementation of the new system amid these challenging times.

"So, sabi ko kay Pangulong Duterte, Mayor, hindi pa po napapanahon ito... huwag na nating pahirapan 'yung Pilipino. Bigyan natin ng palugit muna... Marami pong nawalan ng trabaho. 'Yung mga nawalan ng trabaho po may mga pamilyang binubuhay po ang mga 'yan. So, sabi ko nga sa Bisaya pa, 'Pahuway sa ta Bai.' Pahingahin muna natin ang Pilipino sa pahirap. Nagkakahirap-hirap na nga tayo papahirapan pa," he narrated.

"So, pumayag naman po ang Pangulo. Salamat kay Secretary Tugade at sa private providers na pumayag sila dahil gusto naman nila ito i-implementa," Go said.

Earlier, Secretary Tugade informed Go as DOTR announced to the public that fees for the new PMVIS program will be similar to the earlier implemented mandatory smoke emission testing. Also, the new inspection system will not be mandatory and the old smoke emission testing will still be used in areas where the new MVIS is still not available.

Hence, despite expanding the requirements for vehicle inspection and improving mechanisms to ensure road worthiness of vehicles, the costs to be shouldered by motorists will remain unchanged at this time.

The transportation chief shared that he reached out to the officers of the association of MVIS operators and stakeholders of the road sector to push for a 'pandemic special rate' that will ensure that no unnecessary burden is imposed on ordinary Filipinos at this time.

Go lauded the move, stressing that government must exert all efforts to unburden ordinary Filipinos who are struggling to make ends meet amid difficulties caused by the ongoing pandemic.