LTO to change license plates’ design

Following the Supreme Court's order allowing the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to issue 700,000 license plates turned over to it by the Bureau of Customs, the agency has bared its plans to change their design.

A report on "24 Oras" by GMA News' Ian Cruz on Wednesday said the LTO is planning to manufacture thicker license plates.

The new license plates will still have a bar code but will no longer show the region where they were issued. Instead, the first letter will identify where the plate was issued.

The LTO is also planning to make a "third plate" as small as a calling card, which will be placed on the upper right part of the windshield.

"Nandoon na 'yung plate number, tapos 'yung RFID, nandoon sa loob ang additional details ng motor vehicle: kung ano 'yung nasa certificate of registration, nandoon. In addition to that 'yung history ng vehicle, kung may alarma or apprehensions," LTO Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz said.

Vera Cruz said the LTO will revive its license plates manufacturing plant, which has a capacity of 30,000 plates per day.

"Initially 'yung supplier, pag nakumpleto na nila ang 1.7 million at 700,000 plates, LTO personnel na ang gagawa," he said.

The Supreme Court lifted the temporary restraining order it issued on June 14, 2016 on the "release, distribution, or disposal in any manner" involving the 300,000 license plates for motor vehicles and 400,000 for motorcycles which were turned over by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to the LTO.

Vera Cruz said the high court's decision will ease the backlog on license plates which has so far reached around 6 to 7 million.

"It will ease itong kulang sa plaka, although initially ang ma-release natin is 300,000. Ito 'yung Bureau of Customs plates turned over to the LTO. Ito 'yung subject matter ng TRO na ni-lift ng Supreme Court. Then after that there will be a release of the 300,000 from the supplier," Vera Cruz said.

He said those who bought vehicles in the period from July 2016 to December 2017 will have to wait until April to be issued a license plate as the machines needed to make new will not arrive until February. — Ted Cordero/BM, GMA News