Miriam wants older cars off the road

Cars produced in 2008 and earlier may no longer be allowed on the nation’s streets should Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s bill be made into a law. With Senate Bill 2834, Santiago advocates the phasing out of vehicles manufactured in 2008 as well as older auto models because these consume more fuel than newer models, according to a report on GMA News TV’s “State of the Nation (SONA)." The short title of the proposed law is the “Accelerated Retirement Of Inefficient Vehicles Act" and is available on the official website of the Senate.
Those whose vehicles get phased out would then be entitled to vouchers to purchase newer, more gas-efficient vehicles. The vouchers can also be used as passes for buses and other forms of public transport. According to Santiago, the phasing out of vehicle models 2008 and older would save 80,000 barrels of oil a day and result in easing road traffic by getting 1-2 million vehicles off the streets. Taxi operators and private owners, however, opposed the move. Philippine National Taxi Operators Association President Bong Suntay said that the phase out would only shift the burden on taxi riders who would “subsidize" the purchase of newer taxi models. “Kailangan taasan mo rin ang singil sa pasahero para may maipambayad ang driver sa operator para naman yung operator may pambayad sa kotse na bibilhin," he said. Vintage car collectors are also opposing the move, saying that it would be unfair to those who have already invested a lot of money to restore old cars.— BC/MRT/VS, GMA News