Manila – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has announced a postponement of the ban on the use of improvised and temporary vehicle plates, extending the deadline to December 31, a move aimed at giving motorists more time to secure official license plates.
According to Philippines News Agency, the decision to push the ban’s commencement from September 1 to the end of the year was made to facilitate better compliance among vehicle owners. “We ask motorists to claim and install their respective license plates as soon as they are available either in the car dealerships and replacement plates in our offices,” Mendoza stated. He emphasized that the installation of official license plates is crucial for crime prevention, noting that some temporary plates have been misused in criminal activities.
Mendoza assured that there is no backlog for four-wheel vehicle plates, stating, “Wala na pong backlog sa mga four-wheel vehicles so there is no reason for these vehicle owners not to claim and install them in their vehicles.” However, he acknowledged ongoing issues with the supply of motorcycle plates, which are currently prioritized. “Motorcycle plates are our focus today in compliance with the directive from President [Ferdinand R.] Marcos to address all the backlog on license plates by June next year,” he explained.
Despite the deadline extension, Mendoza clarified that this would not affect the LTO’s commitment to resolving the issue of unclaimed license plates. Efforts are ongoing, with LTO regional directors and district office heads coordinating with local government units to facilitate the distribution of plates. The LTO had previously issued a memorandum circular against the use of improvised and temporary plates following an investigation that showed many vehicle owners, particularly those with newly purchased vehicles, were not claiming their official plates from dealerships.
Following a recent meeting with car dealerships in August, it was revealed that thousands of license plates remain unclaimed despite repeated notifications to vehicle owners, underscoring the need for extended enforcement flexibility.