LTO needs over a year to wipe out backlog of 11 million motorcycle plates

It would take at least a year and a half for the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to finish printing its backlog of around 11 million motorcycle plates, Cedric Castillo reported on “24 Oras."

Even with a new plate-making machine that processes 500 pieces per hour,  the LTO said it has finished manufacturing only seven million plates out of the 18 to 19 million that still need to be produced.

“’Yung 18 to 19 million plates na yon, sa ngayon ang nagagawa pa lang namin around 7 million. Kaya ang laki pa ng hahabulin namin. Hopefully, in the coming administration, mabigyan ng mas malaking pondo ang LTO para sa backlog na around 10, 11 million plates,” Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante said.

(Out of the 18 to 19 million plates, only 7 million have been finished. That’s why we have a lot to finish. Hopefully, in the coming administration, the LTO would be given a higher budget for us to finish that 10 to 11 million in backlogs.)

Galvante added if the processing will not be hastened, it would take around a year and a half to produce them all. To resolve this, he proposed having a licensed third-party contractor finish the massive backlogs.

“Ipapagawa na natin ito sa labas. Para habang ginagawa natin yung moving-forward plate na planta dito, ‘yung backlog ginagawa na ng kung sino man ang manalo sa kontrata,” he said.

(We can have another company do it. So while we are processing the moving-forward plates, whoever wins the bidding will finish the backlogs.)

Further, the LTO reminded motorists of the implementation of the Republic Act (RA) 11235 which mandates the use of licenses at the back and front of registered motorcycles.

However, it assured unhampered issuance of licensed plates for four-wheel vehicles.

The LTO also said its road safety centers which are equipped with high-tech amenities for driving lessons are now accepting group visitors. Apart from a trial exam for getting a license, the center also has virtual and real-time driving exercises that guests can try.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA News