Friday, November 25, 2011

Anti-Smoke Belching Racket, Part 3

After I posted  Anti-Smoke Belching Racket, Part 2 last September 15, 2011, it attracted several comments from more motorists. Today, I chanced upon these two additional stories:

(1) http://www.qatarliving.com/node/1266249

Anti-Smoke Belching Unit in Makati: Just to share

Submitted by Lovable40 on Fri, 20/08/2010 - 5:39am General

Last 17 Aug, I was driving my L300 from Marikina going to Makati via the C-5 road to visit my investment. I am going to turn right via Kalayaan Road after the Pasig Bridge. Pagkaliko ko, there where a variety of kababayans wearing yellow shirts with City of Makati ASBU printed on their shirt with ages varying from mid 20s to retirable age. Yung pinakamatanda ang pumara sa amin. "Smoke Emmision Test" daw sabi ni Tatang. So sabi ko, OK lang since BIO-diesel ang gamit ko from SEAOIL at kapapatune-up ko pa lang. So I alighted down and went to see their "machine" for testing. To my horror, super luma na! Di na mabasa ang LEDs. Yung hose na ginamit e napakarami ng electrical tape na nakabalot. Yung box e yari sa kahoy na makikita mo pa ang pagkakapako. Mukhang yung original box e nasira na ng panahon.

Kinausap ko yung grupo. Ask ko kung ano ang kanilang sinusukat. SMOKE daw sabi nung isa. Ask uli ako, anong klaseng GAS ang inyong sinusukat. Walang sumagot. Inulit ko, Carbon monoxide? Nitrous Oxide? Tumango na lang. Ask uli ako, ano'ng unit ang gamit nyo? parts per million (ppm) or percentage (%). Bigla akong iniwanan. Doon ko napagtanto na di nila alam ang kanilang ginagawa. Napag-alaman ko na ppm pala base sa print-out na lumabas. 4.4 ppm ang resulta ng sa akin at ang allowable DAW ay 2.5. So as per the City of Makati Ordinance e tatanggalin nila ang front plate ko. I said, ANOH!!!". E di pag ginawa nila yan, bago ako makarating sa Makati Ave e napakarami na ng pulis na haharang sa amin at titiketan na naman ako. Masyadong maraming abala! Late na ako dahil, lifted na yung truck-ban at gusto pa e tubusin ko sa may Ayala Ave and pay the 1,000 pesos fine. I was in between 2 difficult choices, should I be as honest to myself, deal with it and be like my elected President Noynoy with a battle cry of KUNG WALANG CORRUPT .... or should I talk may out, corrupt the guy and not be late with my very important appointment? I've chosen the latter and gave Tatang 500 pesos.

Honestly, as much as I don't want to do this maraming lakad ko ang masasayang. Ang mas kiniinisan ko, bakit yung ibang DIESEL driven Jeepneys ng Pateros, Pasig, Taguig, Guadalupe na nagbubuga ng maiitim na usok, na bumabaybay sa kahabaan ng Makati e di pinapara? Hay, what a day! Balak ko ngang isumbong sa XXX e. I still have 3 weeks here and hopefully I won't encounter such thing. Dinala ko na ang van ko for another check-up ... gastos na naman.
Sorry sa haba ng story ... I just want to share kasi baka maka-encounter kayo ng mga katul;ad nito...

Meron pa akong link na nakita while (still) looking for the alllowable emmmision. It was posted way back 2009

(2) http://www.betterphilippines.com/corruption/highway-robbery-along-commonwealth-avenue/

Highway Robbery Along Commonwealth Avenue
Written by bp on May 5, 2009 · 5 Comments

I was on my way to the office today when the bus I was riding was stopped by a group of men along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. They were unarmed but you could immediately tell that they were up to no good.

True enough after that encounter the bus driver and conductor were P200 poorer. Sounds like highway robbery, doesn’t it?

The group we encountered was running an anti-smoke belching operation so they had every authority to flag us down. But instead of carrying out what they were mandated to do they turned their whole operation into a money-making scheme.

I know money changed hands because I saw it as it happened. I was sitting at the front row and as I peered through the window I saw the bus conductor giving P200 to one of the team members.

It was quite a funny sight actually. The man who flagged us down was acting all indignant because the bus driver, who remained glued to his seat, refused to hand over his vehicle registration. So he went on to admonish the bus driver. But as he was delivering his sermon he was also stealthily reaching out for the conductor’s hand, which held two tightly folded P100 bills.

What a funny charade I thought. It was really funny I failed to stop myself from laughing and blurting out, “ayos na, merienda na.” The clown even heard what I said. As he walked away he flashed me a toothless smile not even his own mother would appreciate.

Now, I’m left wondering again if calls for personal change would even work on people like these.
------

About three weeks ago, I brought my wife to her office at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Paseo de Roxas, Makati, my 5 years old daughter was with me, then I turned right at Pasay Road. Not far from the intersection, I was flagged down by many "men in black" shirts, again, the Anti-Smoke Belching Unit (ASBU) of Makati city hall. They wanted me to go to the right side, I stayed on the inner lane and asked them what's the problem. They said "smoke emission test", I said "Bossing mali-late na ito sa klase ang bata" (my daughter will be late in her school), somehow children can evoke a soft heart among these bureaucrats, and they let me go. And flagged down other old-looking diesel vehicles behind me.

The Makati ASBU used to be in Buendia, one time along Metropolitan Ave. behind Mapua-Makati campus (ie, at the back of Buendia).

Pasay ASBU would also be in Buendia, Pasay after crossing Taft-LRT. Or they may be at Buendia-Roxas Blvd intersection, under the flyover. It's difficult to reason out to these guys as there are plenty of them. And since their intention is really to make your vehicle "Fail" their emission test and get money from you, via extortion or fine at the city hall, you'll be helpless.

This morning, a lawyer friend posted in his facebook wall, "There is a creeping inflation lurking behind all the big news....didn't you notice?"

I commented the following:

  • Nonoy Oplas 

    Cost of transporting vegetables, pork, fish, other food and drink items, moving people, other goods and services, are rising, not only because of rising fuel prices, but also because of various govt extortions: anti-smoke belching, various traffic "violations" even for the most inane reasons, etc. And those endless borrowings by the govt, endless taxes to finance those borrowings. And govt is supposed to provide "macroeconomic stability".



  • Nonoy Oplas That's why I seldom drive my old pick up, it's 15 yrs old this month, unless I drive the kids. The ASBU guys from makati, pasay, qc other cities are ALL salivating at the P1,500 fine for 'not passing" their smoke emission test which, unless you pay them, your car will fail 100%. They are among the road terrorists and they are our "public servants".
  •  A friend who is a driver of a food delivery van for a restaurant chain told me they have a P100 allowance for those ASBUs to avoid delay and bureaucracies. So if they are flagged down 5x a day as they move from one city to another, that's about P500 per day of extortion money, and resto owners have to pass that additional cost to the consumers. And we feel that "creeping inflation" somehow.

  • Luie  Boss, are you saying therefore that there are more of these extortions now than before, which is reflected in the "inflation"? Or was the extortions before cheaper than they are now?


  • Nonoy Oplas 

    I think there are more these days than before. The number of govt employees, especially in local govts, are expanding like termites, Since may of them produce zero/little productive activity, only regulations and prohibitions, and they need to eat along with their families and friends, they need to create more prohibitions and "violations" so that people will pay more to them. Here in makati for instance, they are plenty of NOs and DONTs. "No jaywalking" or "no loading/unloading here, go to the next block" and lots of fines. And yet they say that people should commute, should walk, to "save energy, to save the planet" and they make it hard and costly for people to cross streets.

  • Another practice by local traffic "enforcers" in many LGUs here in Metro Manila, they prohibit left turn or U-turn in some streets even at night time or holidays or days where there is no traffic congestion. So motorists have to go to far away corners and streets where traffic sometimes is bad. This forces some motorists to take a chance and make that U-turn or left-turn when they think the enforcers are nowhere, only to find out that they are hiding. So a taxi driver for instance who is apprehended for this scam has to pay P500 to P1,000 to city hall if he chooses not to bribe, or pay P100 or more. This reduction in the income of the cab driver he must get from passengers, that is why "kontrata" or higher tip is sounded off to taxi passengers before they go. Which raises the cost of transpo of ordinary commuters, and we feel somehow that "creeping inflation."
------

See also
Anti-smoke belching Racket, January 17, 2011

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your comments are so true sobrang taas na binabayaran na taxes natin sa government ganito pa ang trato sa mamamayan. Walang mga kasalanan pinarurusahan..

Wala ka lang mga koneksiyon sa loob ng goberyno maggiging masamang tao ka na.. pag may koneksiyon sa goberyno kahit anu na gawin masama di na paparusahan..

kaya madalas naiisip ko magibang bansa nalang ..parang wala nang pagasa dito sa pag asenso kung hindi sa masamang paraan..

bakit kaya ganoon dito sa Pilipinas?

Anonymous said...

Racket lang talaga ang Anti-smoke belching na yan. Sasabihin ni PNOY ABNOY na matuwid na daan, taranda siya, mas lalong dumami ang corrupt sa ngayon. Dapat report yan kay Tulfo, lalo na sa makati puro corrupt ang mga government official, simula mayor hanggang mapsa

Anonymous said...

Raket nga ang smoke belching na yan..pinapayaman lang ang mga timawang traffic enforcer na yan..kahit walang usok ang car mo,ibabagsak pa rin kung di ka magbigay ng bribe money..hay buhay!!kakalungkot ang buhay ng pinoy!chairman sana magawan nyo ng solusyon ang mga buwayang tauhan nyo!

Anonymous said...

How I wish someone would do something on this issue. I also did what you said, paid the guy to get some sort of certificate so next time you wont get caught. Unfortunately if you pass by another group in a different location they will not honor your certificate. Their excuse "Sir sa makati po yan iba kapag sa pasay" So now you have to get different certificate per city. This is truly corruption right in front of your face. By the way i just paid 1000 and did not get any receipt for it. Buses were passing by with more smoke but none were apprehended.

Anonymous said...

hay.. bakit ba kasi nakita nilang raket?.. kung iisipin natin sino ba dahilan kung bakit nagiging raket sila.. yung mga nahuhuli kasi nag lalagay na lang instead na i complaint yung mga nanghuli pag may irregularities kaya nasanay sila... yung mga ASBU kasi walang sapat na kaalaman yan pag dating sa emission kahit yung standard na RPM hindi nila alam...

hemsky said...

Last saturday I was with my wife, daughter and aunt when we were flagged down by ASBU personnel along Magallanes cor EDSA ave. Sumunod naman ako knowing na wala akong violations whatsoever. Sabi sakin nung tao, random test lang daw. So pinababa ako then imanual nya lang daw. Yun pala sya ang magrerebolusyon. ayun, nakaneutral, tapos biglang sagad sa accelerator. Hindi naman ako maalam sa sasakyan so nung nakita kong ang lakas ng usok, naisip ko malakas nga. Then pagbaba nung tao, sabi ko ganon ba talaga dapat ang testing nyo, syempre uusok yun. pag ako nagpapatakbo, hindi nman todo, kung hindi mababanga ako. At isa pa, kung titingnan yung usok ng Adventure ko pag tumatakbo ng normal, you wont even think it is belching smoke. Sabi sakin, ganon talaga sir, 2000rpm pataas.

After that, we were told to go by the side of the road for the testing to continue. Then sinetup na nila yung apparatus, 6 times inulit yung ginawa nung tao, tapos lumabas na yung ticket. 8.0 plus ave nung opacity ko, so bagsak sa 2.5 na passing grade. To make the story short, binigay ko na lang lisensya ko, then tutubusin ko ng monday sa may Makati Fire Station.

Monday, bago pumunta ng MFS, nagsearch ako sa internet regarding ASBU and nabasa ko ang pagkadami daming hate posts including this and they all say the same thing. This operation really smells like a money making scheme. Na wala namang papasa sa ginagawa nilang random testing. Then I went to MFS para tubusin yung lisensya ko. Pag dating ko don, umuulan, so no choice sila, hindi na tinest ulit yung sasakyan ko (according to one post, pag bumagsak sa retest, additional fine pa). nilagay don sa form 1.3 PASSED, then sabi sakin magbayad na alng ako sa cashier which I did. Then pinapunta ako main office ng ASBU kasi nandon yung lisensya ko. After giving the forms and receipts to the personnel there, he gave me my license and to my surprise, totoo nga yung sabi nung isa pang post, may iwas pala sa huli. Apparently, the certificate given to me is valid for 3months. Pag flinag down ako, pakita ko lang daw, ok na. But, I need to renew it after 3months, para iwas huli na ulit. That would be 100 per month kung icocompute. Then naisip ko yung mga napapanood ko sa mga tagalog movies nung bata pa ako, yung mga gangs na nangextort ng pera sa mga businessman in exchange of protection (proteksyon sa kanila din lang naman). May makakapagsabi ba sa akin na iba ang extortion na yun sa extortion na ito ng ASBU? Para hindi ka mahuli, magrenew ka every 3months.

I really hope magawan ng aksyon ito. Like what I have, just by internet search, lalabas lahat ng reklamo regarding this operation. I am willing to commit myself as a witness or resource person kung magkakaroon ng investigation on this. And this comment of mine can be used as official statement. Sir Nonoy Oplas, baka po pwedeng kayo maginitiate ng movement (aside from these posts) para masimulan ang hinihingi nating investigation sa corrupt practice na to.

Anonymous said...

walang kwenta yang mga ASBU-ang na mga yan, racket at pera lang habol nyan. alam kasi nilang kumikita, ang gagaling pa nga mag-explain scripted at memoryado. ung mga walang alam sa sasakyan tamimi nalang tas dun start na magpenatrate ung kamandag ng mga ogag na asbu..tsk tsk mga asong ulol sa tuwid na daan...sarap sagasaan at pagpapaluin ng tambutso mga yan...

Anonymous said...

Nabiktima rin ako kanina ng mga hayop na yan. bago lang sasakyan namin adventure gls sports diesel syempre ginawa ng mga walangya binomba ng binomba accelerator kya syempre sobra usok, thus bagsak ka sa test. ang kakapal ng mga mukha! dami na pala nagrereklamo dyan bakit pinagtatagal pa yan? and to think di naman kami kakanan papuntang makati, naghanap talaga sila ng mga sasakyang diesel para siguradong bagsak sa test dahil bobombahin nila ng todo! suma total kailangan kunin ang lisensya ng driver ko sa makati na 5 taon na kong di nagpupunta. ANG KAKAPAL NG MGA PAGMUMUKHA! It's more CORRUPT in the Philippines!

Bienvenido Oplas Jr said...

11 February 2013

Thank you for all the comments. LGU extortion via ASBUs and other rackets is indeed victimizing more private citizens. It's a shame how decentralization has also decentralized corruption from the national to local governments. It seems difficult to stop this racket because it is a deliberate, well-organized and well-protected racket by some LGU officials and employees. The respective city halls earn big revenues from this racket as no one can "pass" their test. The malady is that supposedly opposition politicians and pol. parties at the LGU levels, and even mainstream media, are not advocating a stop to this racket....

Alfred said...

kakahuli ko lang kahapon dito, lagi akong nakikipagpaptintero sa mga ito sa loob ng maraming taon dahil eto ang ruta ko tuwing pupunta ako sa manila at sa pasay, taga alabang kase ako at hindi maiiwasan dumaan sa magallanes bridge

anyway kahapon ko lang na experience na habulin ako dahil lagi ko tinatakbuhan ito, ang unang banat ko sa enforcer kung anong violation ko, napakayabang nung traffic enforcer bakit daw hindi ko sya tinigilan, sabi ko wala naman silang probable cause para iflagged down ko, sabi nya hindi daw kailangan ng probable cause kasi may operation daw sila, sabi ko hindi mo pwede i flagged down ang sasakyan ng walang probable cause, sabi nya kung gusto ko daw ng probable cause bumaba daw ako at itest namin ang sasakyan, sabi ko hindi probable cause ang tawag dun, may operation daw sila at pwede daw nila itest lahat ng dumadaan na sasakyan, sabi ko hindi pwede yung ganun, napakarami nya pang sinasabi hindi ko na iniitindi dahil halatang kung ano ano lang, naramdaman nya sigurong wala syang makukuha sa akin ang sabi nya lang gusto nya lang daw humingi ako ng pasensya dahil tinakbuhan ko sila, ako naman para matapos sabi ko ay "sorry na po sir" (parang syota lang) ayun sabi nya sa susunod daw na tumakbo ako ay tutuluyan nya na daw ako hulihin, sabi ko ay pasensya na ulit at umalis na ako

dadaan pa ba ako sa magallanes bridge? oo naman wala naman ako choice pero makikipag patintero pa rin ako sa kanila, ang diskarte dyan ay medyo slow down ka muna kasi ay lagi traffic dun para pag ikaw na ang dadaan ay maluwag na, tapos ay bigla harurot pag nandun ka na, medyo gigitna sila sa daan pero pag mabilis ka ay hindi sila gigitna

P300 ang minimum na suhol dito according sa mga kaibigan ko nahuli na din, kung delivery van/truck ka naman payag sila P100 lang

tanggal plaka/kuha lisensya pag hindi ka nagsuhol at dadalhin mo sa malapit sa makati fire station pati sasakyan mo para itest ulit nila na sigurado namang babagsak ulit at magbabayad ka ng extra fine ulit

nagtataka ako student pa lang ako about 10 years ago panahon pa ng soon to be president ay meron na yan, pinagpatuloy lang ng anak ang hanapbuhay, pero kahit minsan ay never na imbestigador to or na tulfo, siguradong malakas ang head nila

anyway balik ako sa pakikipagpatintero sa kanila since wala naman ako choice, goodluck na lang sa iba

Bienvenido Oplas Jr said...

April 02, 2013

Hi Alfred,

Ginamit ko ang comment mo for a new blog post today, Anti Smoke Belching Racket, Part 5. Nakakagalit nga ang pagpatigil ng mga ASBUs na yan sa mga ordinaryong motorista. Tingin ko maski mabasa nila ang mga ganitong comments, deadma lang sila pati ibang mga city hall officials. Nakasanayan na ang mangotong sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan.

Alfred said...

nakakagalit talaga sir oplas, alam mo yun kahit 100 or 300 or 500 na suhol pa yan hindi ko talaga maatim na magbigay sa mga yan dahil wala naman ako ginagawang mali at hindi ako takot labanan sila legally kahit maabala pa ako (may experience ako matagal na tinaggalan ako ng plaka ng pulis for illegal parking daw nung nireklamo ko sya sa PLEB nagpunta pa sa bahay namin at may regalo pa akong alak, nagmakaawa lang kesyo may pamilya daw sya bla bla ayoko sana iatras ang kaso) nakakabad trip kase talaga pinangkakain nila sa pamilya nila ay galing sa nakaw samantalang tayo na nag hahanapbuhay ng maayos ay ganito ang treatment sa atin

hindi ko pala nabanggit 4 ang ending ng plaka ko at kakarehistro ko lang, pinakita ko yung xerox copy ng smoke belching test with receipt pa pero hindi daw nila nirerecognized yun, akalain mo iba talaga ang republic of makati

napakalaking abala sakin nito dahil taga alabang ako at wala ako ibang way pag pupunta ng pasay not unless mag service road or coastal ako

Anonymous said...

I had the same experience also last Saturday. Its really bothering that they can do such kind of things to motorists (the "HULIDAP" term) and can be able to sleep soundly at night. Para bang normal na sa kanila ang ganitong panloloko at hindi na sila tinatablan ng "KONSENSYA" nila (if meron pa ba). Ganyan ba talaga ang gusto nila ituro sa mga anak nila? Pera lang at wala nang halaga ang dignidad ng isang tao? Nakakalungkot isipin na ganito ang magiging systema sa halos lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno. Walang binigay na OR na usually issued kapag meron ka violation or binayaran na "LEGAL". I was meaning to ask where can we take our complaints. Who do we go to? We should do something about this as this is becoming the norm for almost all traffic enforcement units and that "ASBU" that it becomes so rampant that poor motorist get victimized by them! Masasabi ko lang na hindi man ngayon ang balik nyan sa kanila, meron yan...mabilis ang karma! Please, if you know where we can complain, tell us so we can put a stop to this growing "CANCER" to our society. Thanks!

virus said...

sana ilabas ang guidelines sa pagcheck ng sasakyan sa smoke belching ang alam ko bawal sila umupo sa driver side at sila ang magrevolution ng makina mo kaya todo todo ang apak ng accelarator kaya walang papasa sasakyan maski na bago bili