THE recent Pampanga case about a vehicle getting inspected gone awry is but one of so many sorry similar instances hitting the matter, and being consistently cited across the country. Ventilated in this section on 29/01/2021, it is another black-eye to the government’s drive to supposedly rid our roads of motorcars that had seen better days.
It tugs at the heart. Hear, hear.
After a sportscar was declared unfit for use by the LTO (Land Transportation Office) in Pampanga, the process was repeated as per new rules. Voila! The vehicle passed the second test.
Happy ending?
Yes and no.
The owner went home with his car but not after the poor chap got himself milked a total of P2,600 for the two checkups, broken down to P1,800 in the first test and P800 in the second test.
Isn’t that blatantly immoral?
Before this new LTO ruling on car testing was hatched, the old policy for VRR (Vehicle Renewal Registration) was to secure a clearance from any private emission testing center authorized by the LTO. Why LTO scrapped that is a puzzle as complex as the construction of the pyramids of Egypt.
So what does that tell us?
The new LTO rule is anti-business, anti-progress and anti-Filipino. Unethical even. Why rob the Filipino entrepreneur of his right to earn a living? And with the government itself committing the crime makes it more appalling.
We now have to pay from P1,800 to P2,600 more than the usual P400 (for emission clearance from a poor entrepreneur) whenever we try to renew our cars.
Highway robbery. In broad daylight.
And what’s LTO’s score insofar as our new plate numbers is concerned?
The virus over there seems more virulent than Covid-19?
New Lexus coming
WITH a new model to be unwrapped in March, Lexus is taking a new step in its continuing bid to make the luxurious lifestyle of its customers more rewarding and satisfying.
According to Jade B. Sison, the Lexus front line advocate, the latest model “will be with new vision and new concept, illustrating the car’s intentions for the future as Lexus unveils the coming of its new generation platform.”
In a statement, Lexus International President & Chief Branding Officer Koji Sato said: “We will launch the first model under our new vision within this year, and we will continue to introduce new models next year and beyond. From here on as well, by being considerate of our customers around the world and engaging in car-making that exceeds their expectations, we will continue to take up the challenge of delivering happiness to all people who come into contact with Lexus. I look forward to sharing more with you soon.”
After BMW, Lexus has always been my dream luxury ride. It might one day happen? I believe in miracles.
Parex, Aerocity projects
SINCE its soft-opening last December 29, free to the public until February 1, some 71,000 vehicles per day have been passing through Skyway 3 Slex-Nlex connector road.
“When its seven lanes are finally opened, almost 50 percent of Edsa traffic, or 200,000 vehicles per day, will be reduced,” said Ramon S. Ang, architect of the San Miguel Corp. Skyway 3 project.
Together with the Skyways 1 and 2, the entire Skyway system now has 38 kilometers of elevated expressways, with 36 on- and off-ramp access points, reducing travel between Balintawak and Makati from nearly 2-1/2 hours to a mere 30 minutes at the most.
Ang also cited Secretary Villar and the Metro Pacific Tollways Group, operator of the Nlex, and business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, for making possible the extension of the original endpoint of Skyway 3, to just before the Nlex toll plaza in Balintawak.
“Finally, we now have a seamless connection between Slex and Nlex. I thank Secretary Villar and the MVP group led by Mr. Pangilinan for making this direct link to Nlex possible,” Ang said.
But Ang isn’t stopping with his laurels, committing to President Duterte himself during the Skyway 3 inauguration that he will continue decongesting Edsa and Metro Manila traffic by building soon the East-West skyway over the Pasig River.
Calling it the Pasig River Expressway (Parex), Ang said the Pasig River Expressway project is a 19.4-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway along the banks of the Pasig River that will complete the north-south, east-west link, connecting R-10 in Manila, Edsa, and C5 and decongesting Rizal, Cainta, and Marikina.
“It will provide faster, alternative access to the business districts to Makati, Ortigas and BGC,” said Ang.
Both the Parex and the P737-billion Bulacan airport projects are to be connected to the Skyway system, further extending the country’s infrastructure network.
Minus major glitches, Ang said the Parex is set to open in 2023 and the Bulacan San Miguel Aerocity in 2025.
Time is fleeting. I can’t wait.
PEE STOP World No. 1 carmaker Toyota takes the lead once more with a soon-to-open Logistics Hub worth a whopping P4.5 billion. Projected for a fourth-quarter inauguration, the 32-hectare facility is in Batangas Port in Batangas, known as a gateway for imported vehicles. Congrats once more to Toyota, just one of two companies that sells both locally-made and imported vehicles. Mabuhay!