Transport group to hold another drivers’ protest vs. additional fee hike

August 4,2010 | Davao City—Furious over the implementation of the Motor Vehicle Users Charge (MVUC) which will oblige all operators to pay at least P2,000 upon the registration of their vehicles, the Transport of Southern Mindanao for Solidarity, Independence and Nationalism (TRANSMISION-PISTON) warns to hold another protest action against the imposition of this fee.

With this new increase of MVUC, the tricycle operators are now mandated to pay 2,000 pesos far from its former rate of 300 pesos while multicab and filcab jeepneys are likewise required to pay P2,000 from  its 600 pesos original fee. The LTO has also imposed an inspection fee of P300 to filcab operators, P150 to single motor operators and P600 to operators of trucks and buses.

In a press conference held today, August 5, 2010,the militant transport group along with its affiliate organizations reaffirm their demand to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and to the Aquino administration to revoke the Executive Order 197 and to repeal Republic Act 8794.

The nationwide imposition of the additional fee of MVUC is directed under EO 197 and RA 8794 which mandates that the additional income from the MVUC is for road repair and maintenance.

TRANSMISION-PISTON cited in their petition submitted to LTO last July 19 that such policies are inimical to the short-term and long-term interest of the public utility drivers and operators as they have already been burdened with the imposition of high fines, emission testing, insurance, BIR common carrier tax, SSS payments and even from ‘kotong’ cops.

“The higher MVUC is indeed, too much for the drivers and operators. Our daily incomes have been dried up by periodic oil price hikes and increases of prices of basic commodities,” said Edil Gonzaga, Spokesperson of TRANSMISION-PISTON in Southern Mindanao.

Gonzaga said “ Nganong kita man intawong mga kabus ug walay klarong kita ang pabug-atan og samot sa gubyerno? Nganong dili man resolbahon sa Aquino administration ang korapsyon aron ang kwarta sa katawhan magamit sa pagpaayo ug pagmintina sa mga kalsada?”

Gonzaga pointed out that the government earned enough from the existing fees being collected by the LTO and thus, cannot justify that the funds to be collected from the MVUC increase will be used for the road maintenance and repair.

Gonzaga said “We do not believe that another MVUC and Inspection fee, another chain and another source of suffering should be imposed upon us.  Instead, what we need is an efficient transportation system, guided by an upright government”.

“More importantly, what the transport sector demands is a solution to the worsening crisis brought by the relentless oil price hikes and the repeal of the oil deregulation law,” he added.

Two weeks ago, some 150 drivers picketted the LTO to slam the MVUC increase. The City council of Davao has recently passed a resolution in support to the call of the group to revoke the implementation of the EO 197.