With a heavy heart, the members of the Vehicle Inspection Center Operators Association of the Philippines (VICOAP) heeded the appeal of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to lower the cost of vehicle testing fees.
The new rates are as follows: P600 for light vehicles (from P1,500-P1,800), P500 for motorbikes (from P600), and P300 for public utility jeepneys. VICOAP has yet to clarify if these rates are inclusive of value-added tax. The group also agreed to waive the retesting fee for vehicles that fail the roadworthiness assessment.
Although the PMVIC owners will be operating at a loss, VICOAP president Iñigo Larrazabal stressed that the group is committed to public safety and service. However, there’s another ray of hope that awaits PMVICs—the secondhand market.
Oftentimes, buyers of secondhand motorcycles are unsure of who to approach or where to bring a unit to check for roadworthiness. More often than not, they end up getting a mechanic to do an ocular inspection, who then gets paid a token of around P500 for the quick service. Now, owners and buyers have the option of taking the motorbike to a PMVIC to have it undergo the full 72-point inspection.
“Since our rates are much lower, we can now promote our PMVIC sites as another diagnostic facility that secondhand motorcycle buyers can go to before making a purchase. Any rider can bring his unit to any of our sites for a full test if they sense there’s something wrong,” said a PMVIC owner who requested not to be identified.
If the unit’s registation is not due for renewal with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) within the next 60 days, then the test would have no impact on its status regardless of the outcome. If the unit passes the test and the buyer decides to purchase it, they can then use it as part of the renewal process if necessary. Under LTO regulations, the test results—whether done through a PMVIC or an emission testing center—automatically expire after 60 days.
Does this sound logical? Feel free to share your thoughts.
