Senate OKs proposed bill amending Doble Plaka Law

Senators on Monday approved on third and final reading a proposed bill seeking to amend Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, popularly known as the “Doble Plaka" Law.

Voting 22-0, the Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) No. 2555 which proposed the following amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 11235: 

• Removal of the "Doble Plaka" Requirement: Eliminating the need for larger front plates, instead advocating for the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for vehicle identification
• RFID Stickers: Installing RFID stickers at the front portion of the motorcycles, replacing the original decal plates, and ensuring rider safety
• Adjusted Penalties: Reducing fines to a more reasonable level, capped at 5,000 or 10,000 pesos for most violations
• Extended Compliance Period: Giving motorcycle owners until June 30, 2025, to renew the registration, and the Land Transportation Office until December 31, 2025, to issue required plates.

Other amendments include new timelines for reporting sales and transfers, provisions for motorcycles sold on installment, and requirements for repossessed motorcycles.

The bill likewise push for the extension of the reporting time for lost or stolen plates or RFID stickers to 72 hours and includes provisions to prevent motorcycle seizure if owners can prove they're not at fault for missing identification.

Senator Francis Tolentino, sponsor of the measure, thanked his colleagues for backing its passage. 

“The law, if not amended at the appropriate time, is akin to a sword of Damocles hanging over the head of our motorcycle riders, as there is no assurance when the suspension will be lifted, when it will last, and there is constant fear that the same might be lifted any time, leaving them with no choice but to submit to the law, no matter how harsh or discriminatory the latter is," Tolentino said in a statement. 

RA 11235 was signed in 2019 by former President Rodrigo Duterte. The law seeks to prevent the use of motorcycles in crimes by mandating bigger plates and other identification marks.

The implementation of the law, however, was suspended after rider groups protested the requirements of RA 12235, particularly the required installation of bigger plates. — BM, GMA Integrated News