CDO council targets makers of modified, illegal mufflers

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The chairman of the City Council Committee on Public Order and Safety on Tuesday announced that he will propose an ordinance imposing stiff penalties on makers of illegal vehicle mufflers to address the proliferation of modified mufflers in the city, which pose health and road safety risks.

Councilor Roger Abaday said the proposed ordinance will be in accordance with national standards provided by the Traffic and Land Transportation Code, which states that noise levels must not exceed 99 decibels, measured at an engine speed of 2,000 to 2,500 rpm.

“I will propose an ordinance that will specifically provide stiff penalties to the makers of illegal vehicle mufflers," he said in a statement.

Abaday issued the statement after Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy gave the go-signal to a composite team composed of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO), Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA), and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to strictly enforce regulations on noisy mufflers along the city’s roads.

This move comes after several residents raised complaints about loud and modified mufflers operating day and night, causing noise pollution and becoming a major public concern.

The operation is led by the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office to strengthen enforcement and penalize violators accordingly.

The target of the operations is vehicles, particularly motorcycles with excessive, modified, and loud mufflers.

Abaday explained that the proposed ordinance will complement Republic Act 4136, which provides a P5,000 fine, impounding of motorcycles, and mandatory replacement of illegal mufflers.

Section 34 of the Land Transportation Code and Department Order No. 2010-32 explicitly ban alterations to mufflers and related components.