Motorcycles pack the road right before a traffic light along AC Cortes Avenue in Mandaue City. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is considering waiving penalties and fees for motorcycles impounded on August 31, following the implementation of the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) new guidelines on license plates starting September 1.
Garcia said he is open to granting leniency to affected motorists, allowing them to reclaim their motorcycles without paying fines for storage or penalties. This comes in light of the new LTO directive penalizing drivers without official LTO-issued license plates.
“As far as I am concerned, I am amenable nga i-waive ang penalties and fees, and release ang motorcycles. Amenable ra ko, in fact, I already told Cons. Gealon to inform the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO),” Garcia said in an interview on September 5.
The LTO’s new guideline, which took effect on September 1, mandates that all vehicles must have official LTO-issued plates, otherwise, they face fines up to P5,000. This move has led to the impounding of numerous motorcycles that do not yet have official plates.
In a privilege speech on September 4, City Councilor Rey Gealon criticized the LTO for what he described as an “unjust” crackdown on motorists, blaming the agency’s own failure to produce the necessary license plates.
“Ang nakapait karon kay gi-allow nila ang temporary license plate,” Gealon said.
He highlighted the double standards surrounding the use of temporary plates, which cost either P60 or P40, depending on whether a motorist needs an official receipt.
“Kapila man gyud diay ninyo, LTO, pabayron ang mga motorista? Tagud-taguron man ninyo, wala mo nangalipong? Unsay naa ana nga tawhana diha?” he added.
Gealon said the responsibility should fall on the LTO, which has a backlog of over 12 million unissued plates nationwide, leaving motorists without legal plates through no fault of their own.
He further argued that penalizing these individuals, many of whom rely on motorcycles for their livelihood, is not only unjust but also disproportionately affects the poor.
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“Why is the LTO apprehending motorists for the lack of official license plates when the fault is directly attributable to the Land Transportation Office’s failure and shortcomings?” Gealon said.
Moreover, Gealon pointed out the legal implications of the LTO’s actions, stating, “Until then, the LTO has neither the legal nor moral authority to penalize motorists for a violation caused by the government’s own failure to produce and issue license plates.”
While LTO-7 has pushed back full enforcement of the guidelines to December 31, 2024, Gealon maintains that even this extension is insufficient.
He called for more comprehensive measures to be taken, such as regulating motorcycle dealers and requiring them to sell only vehicles with official plates. /clorenciana