Baguio folks hit smoke tests; mayor clarifies

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan took exception to complaints by disgruntled motorists on vehicle smoke emission tests conducted at random by the city’s Roadside Inspection, Testing and Monitoring Team (RITMT) saying these were in order.

The mayor said that there is no problem with the city’s RITMT system as the machines are in good condition and the vehicle smoke emission standards being used are in accordance with the law thus there is no basis in the claims that the RITMT system is faulty and causing the inconsistencies in the test results.

On the other hand, the mayor said there is a need to look into the accuracy of the system of some of the private testing centers in the city in view of the findings of an earlier investigation conducted by the Dept. of Transportation and Communication Cordillera (DOTC-CAR) that a number of said private testing firms are not complying with the standards set by the law.

Many private and public motorists expressed dismay over failing the RITMT tests and blamed the city’s system for the inconsistencies.

This prompted Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas to call for an investigation on the functions of the Clean Air Monitoring Unit (CAMU) particularly the enforcement of compliance to vehicle emission standards set in Ordinance No. 61 series of 2008 or the Clean Air Act Ordinance of the city.  CAMU is an interagency body chaired by Mayor Domogan which spearheads the implementation of measures to control vehicle emission under the city environment and parks management office (CEPMO). 

In a proposed resolution, Farinas also sought to include the probe the “propriety of the tests being generated by the testing machines which are being used by the RITMT.”

Farinas said there were drivers complaining that even new motor vehicles released by motor vehicle manufacturing companies fail the RITMT test despite the fact that these are newly manufactured units.

He said there are those that fail the test of the RITMT but upon undergoing the same test by privately owned and operated testing center, were issued passing marks..

Farinas added that many motorists are also questioning the manner of the apprehension and testing during the RITMT operations as team members are not experts in the said functions.

 “The conduct of a reassessment and fact-finding investigation of the functions of the CAMU and the RITMT operations which shall be participated in by private and public motorists, taxpayers and other concerned individuals as well, or in general, our constituents, to be conducted by the government as a voluntary move to eradicate red tape in the system shall help to introduce amendments and or to rectify what is wrong with the system affecting the foregoing matter,” Farinas said.

The mayor however said this is not a new issue and has been the subject of previous investigations, among which the DOTC-CAR findings that many private testing centers are not at par with the standards of the law.

He said these firms continue to operate as the authority to stop their operation lies with the DOTC central office which is issuing their accreditation.

He said the city will stand by the reliability of its testing system.

CEPMO officer-in-charge Cordelia Lacasamana said the RITMT conducts random tests of both private and public vehicles by flagging down smoke-belching vehicles and testing them up front.

The mayor earlier ordered the conduct of voluntary smoke emission tests for public utility vehicles (PUVs) in the city on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in response to the request of the transport groups to temper the application of Ordinance No. 61 series of 2008.

The measure requires PUVs to pass the smoke emission tests before operating. 

Drivers, operators or owners of the PUVs will be issued Certification of Voluntary Testing (CVT) upon determination that the PUVs have passed emission levels. The CVT shall indicate the emission level of the tested vehicles, the operators/owners and drivers of the PUV, the make and model of the PUV, the plate number of the vehicle and validity period of the CVT.

Moreover, the operators, owners or drivers who have voluntarily submitted their vehicles for emission testing shall be exempt from side testing for one month for diesel engines or two months for gas engines, which shall be reckoned from date of issuance of the certificate of voluntary testing provided that the CVT is presented upon flagging down of the vehicle.

Dubbed as the city’s version of the Clean Air Act, the ordinance was passed in 2008 to address the increasing air pollution in the city by mandating that all vehicles, whether public, private, or government-owned must conform with the emission standards set forth in the same measure and those that will violate the standards will be prevented from plying within the territorial jurisdiction of the city.

The emission standards prescribed in the ordinance are based on the standards specified by the DENR in  Administrative Orders (DAO) No. 2007-27, 2003-25, and 2000-81, or as will be specified in future orders or issuances by DENR and/or the BLIST Airshed Governing Board.