LTO under fire for privatizing vehicle inspection services

The Philippine Star | January 30, 2021

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) defended the privatization of motor vehicle inspection centers
(PMVICs) following public backlash over the new system required for car registration in the country.

LTO chief Edgar Galvante said all cars would need to undergo inspection using the PMVIC equipment
that can evaluate car performance and roadworthiness.

“All vehicles that need to be registered have to go through the process to determine whether
registration will be renewed. Previously, there was a policy that vehicles 15 years or older can no longer
be registered. But now, the basis (for renewal is the) roadworthiness of the vehicle rather than the age,”
he said in Filipino over CNN Philippines.

He noted that certificates of roadworthiness would be issued to car owners who pass the inspection,
which will be presented to LTO for the renewal of car registrations.

Galvante said the public needs to see the “reasonableness of the inspections,” claiming that this would
help reduce injuries and deaths from road crashes and accidents.

Fees for the inspection range between P1,500 to P1,800, which the public said is too exorbitant and
determined without consultation.

Galvante said this price was reasonable enough as PMVIC operators also need to get back their
investments and ensure the feasibility of their operations, adding that the government does not have
the capability to run its own MVICs due to lack of funding.

There are only 24 PMVICs currently running nationwide, out of the 138 centers that will be opened. For
areas that still have no PMVICs, the current system of emission testing and LTO inspections will be
undertaken and honored for car registrations.

However, these two tests will not be interchangeable with the PMVIC inspection.

Aside from high fees, some say that there was no consultation made to determine the integrity of these
PMVICs.

Others alleged that even brand new vehicles failed the testing of these PMVICs, which they said was
done to extort more fees from motorists.

Galvante said that any such allegation or complaint of extortion or abuse from PMVICs should be
immediately forwarded to the LTO for investigation.

Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) – Here’s everything you need to know
Autodeal | Jan 22, 2021

The Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) is a new program in the Philippines to ensure the road-
worthiness of the vehicles to be registered. As per the LTO's Memorandum Circulars Nos. 2020-2240
and 2018-2158, the former of which is still in drafting, The documents affect passenger vehicles,
motorcycles, commercial vehicles, and also public utility vehicles (PUVs) and public utility jeeps (PUJs).
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is the government agency responsible for implementing the
standards for the MVIS. Not all LTO offices will require that you pass the MVIS to be able to register your
vehicle.

The MVIS test will be required if you want to register your vehicle, passing the test will mean that your
vehicle is roadworthy and that it is able to be registered. Read on to find out everything that you need to
know about this new system.
Vehicle information and specification

To pass this portion of the inspection, here are the pieces of information that need to be in order.

 Plate number  Body-color

 File number  Year model
 Chassis number  Gross vehicle weight
 Motor number  Net capacity
 Make/series  Fuel type
 Name of owner/operator  Classification
 Address of owner/operator  Denomination
 Type of body

All the information on the certificate of registration of the vehicle must be in line and the same as the
information currently stamped and on the vehicle. The engine number and the chassis number must
match, as well as the plate number or conduction sticker of the vehicle.
Above Carriage Inspection

Exterior

Your car’s body must be in good condition and in good order, without any body panels missing or out of
place and alignment. The panels must not be fastened with duct tape or with rope. Your vehicle’s
headlights must also be functional, aligned, and clear. Also, your brake lights, signal lights, reverse lights,
turn signal indicators, and license plate lights should also be working properly and holding steady. The
windshield should also be free of cracks and structural damage, the same goes for your windows and
sunroof if applicable. The vehicle’s doors should also be functional and able to open up fully and close
securely. Side mirrors are also part of the inspection and must be clear and undamaged. You should
have side mirrors installed on your car on both the left and the right sides. Your wheels should also
structurally sound, with no structural damage or cracks. Cosmetic damage is fine as long as it doesn’t
compromise the structural integrity of the rim. Your tires must also be younger than 5 years and mustn’t
be worn down to the wear indicators, have sidewall damage, be free of chips and punctures. The wheel
lug nuts and bolts must also be securely fastened. A fuel tank cap that seals properly must also be
present in order to keep the fumes from the gasoline or diesel tank exposed, and it will keep the fuel
from mixing with other contaminants.

Interior

The inspection will then move to the functional parts of your car’s interior. Your car must have a working
horn that will produce a constant tone when active. You should also have seatbelts that are in good
condition, which means no fraying or integral damage. The belts should also be attached securely to the
chassis and are able to lock when pulled with some force. Your vehicle must also come with a rearview
mirror. Your vehicle’s seats must also be secured to the chassis firmly with a railing system or secure
bolts and brackets. If your vehicle comes standard with an air conditioning unit, as most modern
vehicles do, that also has to be in working condition. Finally, you need to make sure the car has an early
warning device (EWD), a sign that will mark you as a hazard in the event that you become an obstruction
on the road.

The controls will also be tested in the interior. What is to be expected is a working braking system,
parking brake, clutch system (if it's a car with a manual transmission), and steering. That being said, your
braking system must be able to bring your car to a stop consistently and deliver a consistent feel
regardless of the number of pumps. The same goes for your clutch, it should actuate reliably and return
reliably as well. The parking brake must be tensioned and should be able to hold your car on an incline.
Steering, meanwhile, must feel consistent turning left and right. The steering wheel should also be free
of any unnecessary play and your input left to right should be the same lock to lock.

Above Carriage Checklist

As per the MVIS Checklist:, here is the list of items to be inspected:

  Body Appearance  Interior Lights
 Chassis  Top Light (Taxi)
 Engine  Seat Belts
 Handlebars  Horn
 Wiper/Washer  Door/Hinges
 Windshield/Window Glass  Floor Board
 Signal lIghts (Front)  Side Mirror/Rearview
 Signal Lights (Rear)  Clutch system
 Parking Lights (Front)  Brake system
 Parking Lights (Rear)  Driver’s/Passenger’s seat
 Brake Lights  Steering
 Backup Lights  Tires/wheels
 Clearance Lights  Wheel Bolts/Nuts
 Number Plate/Lights  Fuel Tank Cap
 Hazard Lights  Panel Gauges
 Reflectors

Undercarriage Inspection

The chassis frame/chassis number of your motor vehicle must be inspected and must match what is
stated on the documents. Driveshaft bolts must be secured, and there should be no oil leaks in the
transmission, differential, and engine. Steering linkages, the idler/section, and the power steering
pump/motor must also be secured and working. As for your gearbox mounting, all the bolts must be
secure and the bell housing must be secured on the engine. Apart from that, the inspectors will check
your radiator for damage or leaks. Shock absorbers will also be checked for any leaks or defects. Your
propeller shaft couplings will also be inspected to see if it spins freely and without intermittence. Also
included in the inspection will be your front and rear suspension shackle eyes, pins, and bushes. From
here, the spring clips and stabilizer bushes are also part of the list. Following your suspension system,
are your brake lines, and calipers, specifically the hoses and the cylinders of your brakes. The fuel lines
are next and will be inspected for leaks.

Undercarriage checklist

As for the checklist, here is the list of items to be checked by the LTO in their undercarriage inspection.

 Radiator  Spring U Bolts/Nuts

 Engine Bracket/Mounting  Spring Clips
 Engine Oil Leakage  Shock Absorbers
 Transmission Oil Leakage  Drive Shaft Bolt/Nut
 Steering Ball Joints  Differential Oil leakage
 Steering Leakages/Gearbox Mounting  Propeller Shaft Couplings
 Steering Idler/Section Shaft  Exhaust Pipe and Silencer
 Front/Rear Shackle Eyes/Pins/Bushes  Chassis Frame
 Stabilizer Bushes  Chassis Cross Member
 King Pins and bearings  Body Floor Board
 Front Suspension Joints/Bushes  Power Steering
 Rear Suspension Joints/Bushes  Parking Brake Wire
 Rear Linkages  Mobile Air Conditioner (MAC)
 Brake Hoses/Pipes/Cylinders  Others
 Fuel hoses/pipes

Bottom line is that you need to properly maintain your vehicle to pass inspection. Visit some of our
guides and our maintenance checklist in order to get a guide on what needs to be done.

Tests to be conducted
The following are the tests that your vehicle will be put through once you bring it to a PMVIC. These
tests will examine certain parts of your vehicle to see if it is indeed roadworthy.

Sideslip Test

Through the Sideslip Test, it will determine if your vehicle’s wheel alignment is correct. This will also
include the scrutineering of the toe-in and toe-out of the vehicle.

The process of testing begins when the inspector drives the vehicle forward to the sideslip sensor plate.
From there the machine will measure the later slip movement of your vehicle as it enters the first
switch. The result of the test is determined once the vehicle has passed through the last switch of the
tester.

Suspension Test

This test is meant to test and measure the effectiveness of the shock absorbers on each wheel of the
vehicle. It will also deal with checking the absolute damping levels and comparing them to the relative
damping balance between the right and left side of each axle. The test will also measure the efficiency of
the shock absorbers using the EUSAMA principle or its recognized equivalent.

For the testing procedure, the axles and wheels of the vehicle will be placed on shaker plates. Once in
position, these will automatically measure the axle weight of the vehicle. After this is done, the test will
proceed to its second part in which the plates will begin to oscillate to test out the damping abilities of
the suspension. From there the data will be sent to the computer where it will compare the results of
your vehicle to a database to see if it will pass.

Roller Brake Test

This test will measure the braking force of the left and right wheels for both the front and rear axles of
your vehicle. This will be done on a rolling road in order to get the vehicle up to speed and to effectively
measure the braking force that each wheel can generate. The parking brake will also be tested with
respect to the axle incorporating the parking brake mechanism.

For those with automatic or electronic parking brakes, we highly recommend that you inform the testing
center about it so that your vehicle can be properly accounted for.

Speedometer Test

This test is designed to measure the actual speed of your vehicle and checks the accuracy of the
speedometer reading.

For the testing procedures, the inspector will bring your vehicle to a rolling road and will accelerate it to
a speed of 40 km/h, and will then decelerate it to rest. The vehicle will pass if the reading is within 10
km/h of what is being displayed on the speedometer versus its actual speed.

Headlight Test

For this test, the headlights of the vehicle will be examined. The PMVIC will use a headlight test to
measure the luminous intensity and photometric axis or optical axis of deviation of your vehicle’s
headlights.

The testing procedure is automated as your vehicle will be parked at a predetermined distance in
relation to the headlight test.

Emissions Test
Similar to what the LTO used to require, the emission test is done in order to determine the
concentration of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrocarbon emissions from in-use motor vehicles running at
idle speed.

The testing procedure will have the vehicle remain in its neutral gear with the handbrake engaged. The
vehicle’s temperature must also be at least 70 degrees celsius or higher in order for the engine to be at
its proper operating temperature. A probe will then be inserted into the exhaust pipe of the vehicle by
at least 30 cm from the tailpipe outlet.

For diesel-fed engines, the testing procedure is a little bit different. The test will be instead measuring
the opacity of the smoke that comes from the exhaust. In the same way that gasoline-powered vehicles
are tested, the vehicle will also remain in neutral, at idle, and must be at its proper operating
temperature. The engine will then be revved two to three times to allow for proper smoke sampling.

This is done to remove deposits or soot from the tailpipe. While the engine is idling the inspector will
then insert the sampling probe into the exhaust pipe to measure its readings.

Sound Test

Another test that works in conjunction with the exhaust of a vehicle is the sound test. This is done to
determine if your vehicle is too loud and is a source of noise pollution.

For the testing procedure itself, sonometers will be placed behind your exhaust pipe at 45-degree
angles. They will be set up 0.5 meters away from your exhaust. The inspector will then measure your
vehicle at idle and at the 2,500 rpm mark. Your vehicle must come with a result lower than 99db in
order to pass the test.

Fees

In order to get your vehicle tested in the MVIS, for motor vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of
less than 4,500 kg, you need to pay P1,800 for the initial inspection, and P900 for the re-inspection fee
as per the 2018-2158 LTO Memorandum. Note that the re-inspection fee will apply if a motor vehicle
fails the first inspection, and will only cover the stage where it failed previously.

Motorcycles and Tricycles, meanwhile, will be charged P600 for the initial inspection, and P300 for the
reinspection.

Miscellaneous fees

As stated in Section 18 of the 2018-2158 LTO Memorandum, An inspection fee of P1,800 may be
collected for the following transactions:
 MV modification (change body design/configuration)
 Miscellaneous transactions such as change engine/chassis, change color, revision of Gross
Vehicle Weight, re-stamping of engine, and
 Recovered carnapped vehicle