LTO: 90% of license plate backlog cleared by end-2023

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said it aims to clear up to 90% of its license plate backlogs by the end of 2023.

In a statement, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Teofilo Guadiz III said that they would use their own plant to produce a percentage of required license plates before the end of 2022.

“Right now, we have already extended the operating hours of the LTO license plate manufacturing plant. It now operates even on Saturdays so that it can produce more replacement plates and reduce the backlog,” Guadiz said.

For licensed plates that could not be completed this year, Guadiz said the agency plans to hire the services of a private company.

LTO said there are 2.3 million backlogs for vehicle replacement plates and 11.5 million for motorcycle license plates.

It added that there are no reported backlogs for license plates of newly registered vehicles.

More than 300,000 pairs of replacement plates have been produced as of Monday, October 3, according to data from LTO plate making plant.

In terms of producing license plates for motorcycles, Guadiz said they would be prioritizing the back plates.

“Inuna na po namin muna ‘yung back plates. For the front, the thrust of the previous administration which we are adapting now is gagamit kami ng decal,” he said.

“We are anticipating the passage of the new law, so sa ngayon po, we will just address first the back plates, hindi muna ‘yung sa harapan,” he added.

The LTO earlier said it needs P6.8 billion to totally clear the backlog in license plate production.

In June, the agency said it has finished manufacturing only seven million plates out of the 18 to 19 million that still need to be produced.—LDF, GMA News