MikeLigalig.com

THE Land Transportation Office Tagbilaran City has dismissed insinuation that the agency will not reimburse those who already paid their registration of the controversial Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID).

In an exclusive interview, Yvonne Campoamor, LTO assistant chief, pointed this out. But she could not ascertain whether LTO will really refund or not the RFID fee in the amount of P350 per vehicle registration or renewal.

Campoamor said that her office led by registrar Joel Maloloy-on is still awaiting for the directive of the agency from Manila and whatever it would be they would abide by it.

Private motor vehicle owners and public operators, who already renewed and paid the RFID are eagerly wanted they will be refunded.

This came following the Supreme Court decision directing LTO from implementing the RFID that drew a howl of protest from various sectors because of the allegation that no public hearing was conducted nor the stakeholders were consulted.

As of this writing, no official word from LTO Manila was received by the LTO here regarding the controversial RFID, said Campoamor, thus she cannot say whether LTO should refund or not to reimburse the RFID fee.

Maloloy-on said that RFID enforcement was stalled during the last quarter of 2009 but at the start of 2010 the LTO will implement it.

Motor vehicle operator associations including tricycle drivers in the province are vehemently opposed to the proposed RFID because it would cause another cost from their pockets.

The RFID requirement has the PhP350 tag per vehicle but no renewal for this will be good for a lifetime. If the RFID is found defective the LTO will replace it but if it’s lost by vehicle owner he will pay for its replacement, Maloloy-on said.

Maloloy-on, earlier, explained that RFID would not trample individual human rights and right to privacy of the vehicle owner or driver.

He said that RFID is based on the law RA 4136 that “authorizes LTO to issue rules and regulations governing the registration and re-registration of motor vehicles and make arrests for violations thereof.”

LTO also issued recently a Memorandum Circular No. ACI 2009-1199, governing the rules of RFID tag for all motor vehicles required to be registered under the LTO for the enhancement and improvement of the LTO services such as vehicle identification, anti-carnapping, anti-colorum and law enforcement and traffic adjudication, said Maloloy-on.

“The RFID tags will be tied with the existing motor vehicle information stored within LTO database to bind the two records. This will aid the LTO in not just manual and visual confirmation of a motor vehicle’s authenticity but an electronic means of verification and compliance monitoring.” It is equipped with the latest data encryption to prevent fraud and tamper proof.

RFID tag “will have single colored background and will bear a unique serial number that will be loaded in the LTO.” It is front adhesive type composed of two portions: Write Once and the Read and Write Many.

Read and Write Many portion contains information such as motor vehicle number, engine chassis, plate and numbers, color, series, year model, body type, MV classification, franchise, route, owner’s name, last registration date and alarms.

RFID implementation was supposed to be the first day of October 2009 but it was deferred until December 31, 2009, the LTO registrar said.

But effective January 1, 2010, no vehicle will be registered with the LTO or emission tested without first undergoing the RFID tagging, the circular pointed out. (RVO)

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=24710.0