TaVIC: Bohol’s only PMVIC opens for business

The era towards a province with roadworthy light vehicles and motorcycles starts with the opening of Tagbilaran Vehicle Inspection Center (TaVIC), the first and only private motor vehicle inspection center (PMVIC) in the province.

Last Friday, Apr. 23, 2021, siblings John Albert Uy, John Alison Uy, Joy Angeli Uy  started their own enterprise which turns out to be TaVIC. The siblings are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Albert and Josephine Uy. The manager of the enterprise is John Alison, who is popularly known as Tonton.

TaVIC is the first-ever PMVIC in the province of Bohol and is located at H. Zamora St., barangay Dao, Tagbilaran City. 

TaVIC is a public-private partnership with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony happened on April 23, 2021, Friday with guests Vice Governor Rene Relampagos, Congressman Edgar Chatto, Mayor John Geesnell Yap II with First Lady Jane Censoria Yap, LTO Chief Yvonne Auza.

TaVIC will start its normal operation tomorrow, Apr. 26, 2021, and the business is open from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5pm, Tonton Uy said.

The PMVIC provides more benefits and advantages over other motor vehicle emission testing centers, where only the smoke emission test is being conducted.

Aside from the visual inspection and smoke emission testing, TaVIC also checks various aspects of your vehicle including chassis check, break check, headlight, check, noise check, side-slip test, suspension test, sound level test, and even speedometer calibration check among others.

While the emission check and the visual inspection are the only requirements for the renewal of vehicle registration, TaVIC moves a step further by providing roadworthiness check of the vehicles to provide the utmost guarantee in road safety for the vehicle owners.

TaVIC’s rates are competitive considering the array of services provided compared to emission testing centers. For light vehicles like cars and sports utility vehicles, the fee is P672 and for motorcycles the service fee is P560, according to Tonton Uy.

He said that re-testing of the vehicle is for free in the event the vehicle fails in the first attempt in the emission and the visual inspection.

Furthermore, TaVIC’s clients need not pay the computer fee to the LTO. TaVIC will be the one to upload the test and inspection results to the said agency in real time. This can help cut the processing time of the renewal of vehicle registration for car or motorcycle owners.

There is also no need for stencil and photo documentation, Tonton told the media in attendance.

Tonton bared that closed circuit cameras are installed inside TaVIC’s facility so that the LTO can monitor the inspection and testing process.

TaVIC management wishes to inform the public that vehicles that will be tested in emission testing centers are going to be further subjected to a visual inspection at the LTO.

Only the emission test and the visual inspection conducted at TaVIC are needed for vehicle registration, and all other tests are commendatory so that owners can be guided on the overall health condition of the vehicles.

Vehicle owners can use the airconditioned customer lounge while waiting for their results of the vehicle testing and inspection, according to Tonton.

While at first glance, TaVIC’s rates are costlier compared to other emission testing centers, yet, vehicle owners who will get TaVIC services are no longer required to pay the computer fee of P169 and the stencil fee that usually ranges from P100 to P150.

Tonton also narrated thaf the validity of the test results is good for 1 year compared to emission testing centers’ test result validity of only 2 months.

TaVIC provides customers with convenience as it provides a one-stop process where vehicle owners don’t need to go to the LTO for a visual inspection after the emission test.

The biggest reason to choose TaVIC over emission testing centers is the peace of mind knowing that one’s vehicle is in top shape and roadworthy, Tonton quipped.

Roadworthy vehicles are needed to prevent road accidents and to eliminate injuries or death as a result of road accidents, Tonton said as he recalled that he was a witness to a horrible road accident in Tagbilaran a few years ago.

According to the TaVIC management, the firm’s vision is by the next 10 years all the vehicles, if not, all private vehicles in the Province of Bohol will be completely roadworthy as to the standards set by the Philippine government.

Furthermore, the mission of TaVIC is to help the Philippine government through the DOTR and LTO, save lives by ensuring that no Filipino will lose their life in road accidents caused by vehicles that are not roadworthy.

Gloria Leodivica Ines Araneta of “SMILE”, Philippines, The Bohol Tribune & DYTR, hosted the TaVic Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. 

The members of the Uy family pose during the launch of the Tagbilaran Vehicle Inspection Center (TaVIC). From left are:  John Albert B. Uy, Joy Angeli B. Uy, Albert M. Uy, Josephine B. Uy, and John Alison B. Uy. Contributed photo

First District Cong. Edgar Chatto mingles with Tagbilaran City mayor John Geesnell Yap and wife Tagbilaran first lady Jane Yap are shown just outside the facility of the Tagbilaran Vehicle Inspection Center (TaVIC). 

Tagbilaran mayor John Geesnell Yap, in his speech, emphasizes the role of new businesses like the Tagbilaran Vehicle Inspection Center (TaVIC) in the economic recovery efforts of the city, as the local economy is heavily impacted by the Coronavirus disease (Covid) pandemic. Contributed photo

Land Transportation Office registrar Yvonne Auza underscores in her speech the huge role of the private sector in helping the government ensure that all vehicles running on the streets in the country are roadworthy through the thorough inspection and testing provided by private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVIC) like the Tagbilaran Vehicle Inspection Center (TaVIC). Contributed photo