More than 7,000 replacement vehicle plates from 2015 remain unclaimed at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Dagupan City District.

Authorities are urging vehicle owners to collect their plates as soon as possible.

In December 2014, LTO issued Memorandum Circular No. AVT-1-8-9-5, requiring all four-wheel motor vehicles renewing their registration to apply for replacement plates under the Motor Vehicle License Plates Standardization Program. However, these plates, which were paid for in 2015, have only arrived recently.

LTO Dagupan City District Head Romel Dawaton said a verification process is in place to ensure proper distribution.

"May verification kami na ginagawa para malaman namin kung sino ang claimant," Dawaton said.

Previously, LTO launched a weekend initiative called "Oplan Plaka Mo, Deliver Ko," which aimed at delivering plates to owners. This program has now been implemented daily for almost a month.

Despite these efforts, some plates remain undelivered due to address changes or vehicle ownership transfers.

"Ang nagiging problema lang namin kaya hindi 100 percent ang delivery ay dahil ang iba nag-changed address na, ‘yung iba naman iba na ang owner," Dawaton said.

For motorists like Bong Lozano, having a proper plate is crucial to avoid complications on the road.

"Mahalaga ang plaka para walang maging aberya sa kalsada, hindi kami masita," he said.

Aside from the 7,000 unclaimed plates, LTO Dagupan City expects more to arrive in the coming days.

Officials are reminding all vehicle owners to check with their office and claim their plates to avoid any inconvenience immediately.