Around 50 leaders of motorcycle clubs met with Land Transportation Office Central Visayas (LTO 7) Director Atty. Wendell Calinao Dinglasan on Tuesday, March 24, at Pajara Park beneath the Marcelo Fernan Bridge in Barangay Umapad, Mandaue City, to discuss concerns over muffler regulations and road safety enforcement.
The meeting comes ahead of updated guidelines from the LTO 7 governing the use of modified or aftermarket motorcycle mufflers. Dinglasan said that modified mufflers will be allowed again, provided silencers are retained and noise emissions do not exceed 99 decibels.
“Pagka sobrang ingay na niyan, most probably walang silencer yan, and that’s what we are prohibiting,” Dinglasan said.
He added that operations against noise pollution will continue, but enforcement against motorcycles with modified mufflers has been temporarily halted to allow for information dissemination.
“Ang ginawa natin para mabigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga kababayan, nag information dissemination muna tayo kasi ang hirap na mang huli tayo hindi naman natin alam kung ano ang bawal at hindi,” he said.
Hs emphasized the importance of letting the public know what is allowed under the law.
Dinglasan said clearer implementing guidelines will be released soon and circulated to local government units and deputized traffic enforcers.
He also assured riders that LTO 7 remains open to dialogue on broader traffic issues.
“This first meeting with motorcycle groups is just a stepping stone to tackle other issues, hindi lang sa mufflers,” Dinglasan said, noting that real-time consultations help ensure enforcement is fair and informed.
“Mahirap kasi na strikto ka lang, galit ka lang, pero hindi mo malaman kung anong reason kung bakit ka galit,” he said. “Hindi dapat strict enforcement lang dapat may compassion din.”
The consultation followed intensified LTO 7 operations against modified and open-pipe mufflers in February, which prompted concerns from motorcycle groups across Cebu. (VCL)
