LTO extends deadline for temporary, improvised plate use to Dec. 31

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Instead of the September 1 deadline, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has extended the use of improvised and temporary plates for motor vehicles.

The new deadline is now December 31, 2024, the agency announced in a statement on Sunday.

Although the LTO did not elaborate on the reason for its extension, LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said the deadline should not be an excuse for motor vehicle owners who have already available license plates not to install them in their motor vehicles.

“We ask the 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 said.

Last week, a mall in Cebu City was packed with motorcycle and motor vehicle owners who were seen queuing for the whole day to process their documents, especially concerning their plates at the LTO.

READ: LTO-7: Comply with guidelines on improvised, temporary plates or else…

“Dili jud unta ni taas ang linya kung nanghatag pa sila derecho ug plate number, nahasol nang tibuok nuon,” a netizen commented on CDN Digital’s post on August 29.

(The line wouldn’t have been this long if they gave the plate numbers right away. Now everyone has been hassled.)

The LTO earlier issued a memorandum circular against the use of improvised and temporary plates after an initial investigation revealed that registered owners of vehicles, especially the newly-bought ones, are not claiming their license plates from motor vehicle dealerships.

Thousands of license plates remain unclaimed in various motor vehicle dealerships and in a meeting with car dealers last month, the car dealers said their clients are unable to claim the plates despite their repeated message to them.

Mendoza said the installation of license plates is also the LTO’s contribution to crime prevention measures, especially since some vehicles are being used in criminal activities.

He added that there are no more backlogs for four-wheel vehicles, so there is no reason for owners not to claim and install the plates on their vehicles.

“Ang natitira na lamang pong backlog ay mga plaka sa mga motorsiklo at ito po ay ang focus namin ngayon in compliance with the directive from President Marcos to address all the backlog on license plates by June next year,” Mendoza said.

(What’s left is the backlog of the license plates of motorcycles and this is what we are focusing on in compliance with the directive from President Marcos to address all the backlog on license plates by June next year.)

Mendoza added that he already instructed the LTO regional directors and district office heads to coordinate with the local government units for the distribution of the license plates.

Meanwhile, as for the enforcement of the guidelines for improvised and temporary plates, Mendoza assured that vehicles and motorcycles with temporary plates won’t be issued citation tickets.

/clorenciana