Use of improvised license plates require LTO authorization — Tugade

Motorists may use temporary license plates due to supply shortage but they should be able to present supporting documents including proof of authorization, according to the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

“Improvised for the time being. Ngayon, huhulihin po ba kayo? Malamang po hihintuin kayo ng law enforcers...Kailangan nyo pong ipakita yung authorization to use improvised plate na binigay ng LTO at kailangan nyo rin pong ipakita ang OR/CR [Official Receipt (OR) Certificate of Registration (CR)],” LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said in Joseph Morong’s report on “24 Oras”.

(Improvised for the time being. Now, will they be apprehended? Most probably, yes. You have to show authorization to use improvised plates given by LTO and OR/CR.)

Tugade on Wednesday said the agency is expecting the supply of license plates for motorcycles to run out by June and plates for four-wheeled vehicles will run out by July due to the delays in procurement.

The LTO chief earlier said they are working on a contingency plan in which they would allow motorcycle and vehicle owners to use temporary license plates.

However, he clarified the measure is only applicable for motorists who have existing plates but were lost or damaged. He also said owners of brand new vehicles should ask their dealers for temporary plates and for replacements.

“Bawal gumawa ng plaka, bawal mag imprenta ng sariling plaka, bawal po yung do it yourself plate. Wrong. Kinakabitan po kayo ng dealer ng temporary plate,” said Tugade.

(Making and printing your own plate is prohibited. Do it yourself plates are not allowed. That’s wrong. Car dealers provide temporary plates.)

The LTO has a backlog of at least 11 million license plates from 2012 up to the first half of 2022, according to Tugade. He, however, warned the delay may persist longer due to the shortage of blank plates.

Senator Grace Poe has called on the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to provide the public a complete report the status of the supply of plates and license.

“We ask the LTO to give the public a complete report on its backlog on vehicle plates and license cards to give a complete picture of the issues it is facing. With this, we also expect to know its timeline for clearing its deficiencies and how it will do it,” Poe, chairperson of the Senate public services committee, said in a statement.

The LTO said the procurement of the blank plates and the licenses are now in the hands of the Department of Transportation (DoTr), which is now in charge of contracts worth over P50 million.

The DoTr has set a meeting with the Budget and Management Department to start the bidding process for the procurement. -- Sundy Locus/BAP, GMA Integrated News