The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) urged local government units (LGUs) to religiously comply with the provisions of Executive Order (EO) No. 41, which suspends ‘pass-through’ fees of motor vehicles on national roads.

In a weekly news forum in Quezon City, DTI Undersecretary Kim Lokin issued the call after the city government of Manila expressed its compliance to the order.

Lokin said the City Government of Manila issued a notice on September 29, which suspended the collection of pass-through fees, a few days after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued EO 41 on September 25.

Lokin emphasized that the City Government of Manila issued its compliance with EO 41 while the government has yet to issue the guidelines for the implementation of the said order.

“When the EO 41 was issued, naglabas po ang City of Manila, iyong kanilang Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau,” Lokin said, referring to the local issuance of the City Government, suspending pass-through fees for motor vehicles passing through national roads.

Lokin explained that the compliance of the City Government of Manila to the implementation of EO 41 is a welcome development as it is one of the LGUs reported to be collecting hefty pass-through fees based on the monitoring of the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations (ACTOO).

“Napakalaking bagay po nito and we hope and we encourage and we urge the other LGUs na sana po ay tingnan po nila this way ang EO 41 na ito,” Lokin said.

“Kasi kung ang City of Manila po kung saan nanggagaling iyong port at nandodoon ang karamihan ng mga trucks na dumadaan araw-araw ay makakapag-isyu po ng ganitong bagay ay sana po iyong iba rin po nating mga LGUs would follow suit,” she added.

The DTI official hopes that all other LGUs will help them in providing what is best for Filipino consumers as far as the implementation of the EO 41 is concerned. *PND*