Motorists urged to check LTO site if they’re included in 700k license plates distribution

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) urged license plate owners on Tuesday to visit the agency's website as there are only a certain number of registrants included in the distribution of 700,000 plates.

The agency can now release the license plates held since 2015 at the Manila International Container Port after the Supreme Court lifted its temporary restraining order issued on June 14, 2016.

The SC stopped LTO from releasing the license plates after Dutch-Filipino consortium PPI-JKG Philippines Inc., the consignee which holds the supply contract with the LTO, did not pay taxes and duties amounting to P40 million.

"Ito pong mga plaka na ito ay actually mga 2015. 'Yung iba po nito 'yung galing pong Customs, may nagmamay-ari na kasi. Ito 'yung mga replacement plates pero hindi po lahat ay mabigyan na po. May certain lang po na mga registrants 'yun pong replacement. 'Yun pong green to black and white and then may new na talagang new registration. So halo-halo po itong plaka na ito at hindi po lahat mabibigyan kaya maghintay lang po," Francis Almora, LTO Enforcement Service Director, said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Tignan ang website ng LTO kung meron kayong plaka o [wala]. Huwag po tayong pumunta agad sa LTO para kumuha ng plaka kasi it might be na hindi po kasama 'yung plaka ninyo doon, para hindi po magkaroon ng kaguluhan sa mga plaka," he added.

The LTO also announced last week that it is planning to change the plates' design and make bigger license plates for motorcycles, but such a plan was met with disapproval from some groups.

Almora said their technical working group is already studying the suggested sizes given by various groups.

"Doon po sa hearing sa Congress, ito po ay mga proposals pa lang po at nagawa po naman ng technical working group na mas pag-aralan lalo 'yung difference sa sizes na pino-propose ng iba-ibang grupo. By the time po saka na lang tayo magkaroon ng kalinawan kung ano talaga 'yung size," he said.

The LTO director also said the new license plates have security features that differentiate them from fake ones, which can be verified using law enforcers' hand-held devices.

"'Yun po kasing fake and temporary plate ay nagkakaroon po kasi ng kalituhan doon. Ang intention po ay gumawa ng plaka similar to in-issue ng LTO to duplicate o ilalagay sa ibang sasakyan. 'Yun po ay considered na fake plate. Pero pagka nasira po 'yung plaka at may permiso po sa LTO na gumamit ng temporary plate, pinapayagan din po ito. May konti pong kailangan sa paggawa ng plate, kasi kahit sa mall po may gumagawa po niyan," Almora added.

Regarding the recall of special plates, Almora said the agency does not cover its scope.

"This is an executive order. Hindi po namin masaklawan ang pag-recall nito. Tumatalima lang ang LTO. Pero sa ngayon, pina-suspend muna 'yung pag-issue ng special plates kasi po wala pa pong production capability ang LTO," he said. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News