AN ORDER PROVIDING POLICIES AND GUIDELINES IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE PERMISSIBLE EMISSION LEVEL AND OTHER ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE MITIGATION OF AIR POLLUTION EMI…

Section 21 of Article 4 of Republic Act No. 8749, known as the
“Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999”, mandated DOTC as the lead agency in
the enforcement of the emission standards for motor vehicles. The act
further provided that corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations
(IRR) shall be promulgated by concerned government agencies within one
(1) year after the passage of said law.

Now, therefore, this Department, concerned with the exigency of
combating air pollution problems and pursuant to the provisions of RA
8749 and consistent with DENR Administrative Order No. 2000-03, hereby
issued the following policies and guidelines in the enforcement of
vehicle emission standards and other related activities relevant to air
pollution mitigation:

1.         The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is the agency of
this Department tasked to enforce the permissible emission level of
vehicles. To effectively carry out this program, said Office may
deputize other law enforcement agencies, local government units (LGUs),
the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and other government
agencies in accordance with LTO Memorandum Order No. 98-108. Further,
that Office is instructed to prepare operation plans and programs to
enforce this Order and to report the same to the Office of the
Secretary.

2.         Unless otherwise updated, the permissible emission limits
and test procedures defined in DENR Administrative Order No. 98-46 will
remain as the basic standard and shall properly observed.

3.         No new motor vehicle submitted to LTO for initial
registration shall be allowed to be registered without a valid
Certificate of Compliance (COC) issued by the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR). New motor vehicles shall include the
following:

– Vehicles designed and manufactured using brand new engines and spare parts in the Philippines.

– Vehicles assembled in the Philippines using original and brand
new parts and components imported into the country either semi knocked
down (SKD) or completely knocked down (CKD).

– Second hand completely built up (CBU) vehicles imported into the
Philippines and are submitted to DOTC/LTO for initial registration.

4.         To ensure compliance of motor vehicles with the emission
standard prescribed in DENR DAO 98-46, all vehicles must satisfactorily
pass the emission test of the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS)
smoke emission testers or any of the authorized emission testing centers
before renewal of registration of vehicles is allowed. Consequently,
garage testing of buses, trucks and similarly situated vehicles shall
henceforth be discontinued.

5.         Pending any upgrade, all smoke emission testing centers shall follow the test fees and charges describe below:

a.    Pollution control device or gadget	P110.00
b.    Exhaust emission of registered gasoline/diesel driven vehicles with or without control devices (Idling tests)	P40.00

6.         Any person violating PD 1181, as modified, and/or any
provision of these Rules and Regulations involving the same vehicle
shall, for the first offense be liable to a fine of not exceeding
P200.00, for the second offense to a fine of not exceeding P500.00 and
for the third and succeeding offense to a fine of not exceeding
P1,000.00 plus the suspension of his vehicle’s certificate of
registration, until such time as there shall be compliance with the
requirements of these Rules.

All Order and Memoranda which are deemed inconsistent with any
provision of this Order is hereby superseded, revoked and/or modified.

This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
submission of three (3) copies hereof with the UP Law Center pursuant to
Presidential Memorandum Circular No. 11 dated 09 October 1992 or
publication in the newspaper of general circulation.

Adopted: 17 Jan. 2000

(SGD.) VICENTE C. RIVERA, JR.
Secretary