By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has placed under alarm a passenger bus that went viral after it was caught emitting black smoke along a public road.
LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said that the registered owner was already issued with a show cause order in line with the instruction of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to ensure that all land transportation related laws, including anti-smoke belching, are strictly implemented.
“We express gratitude to our netizens for posting these violations on social media. We assure you that we have a social media monitoring team that helps us run after the violators,” Asec. Mendoza said.
“In this case, this is no doubt a violation of the existing law against smoke belching,” he added.
In the SCO signed by LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division chief Renante Melitante, it asked the registered owner of the Sta. Monica Transport Service Cooperative why he should not be penalized for Smoke Belching, in violation of Section 46 of Republic Act No. 8749, or the “Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999.”
“You are further directed to bring and present the inspection report, together with any relevant maintenance records of the said unit, during the scheduled hearing,” the SCO read.
Melitante said that the decision to place the bus under alarm was aimed at ensuring that there will be no transaction that would be made for the motor vehicle pending the result of the investigation.
The hearing of the case will be held on Sept. 10, 2025 at the LTO Central Office. ###
