We’re never delayed in issuing plates –LTO chief

Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Aljun Tan on Monday defended anew their “no-registration, no-travel” policy, maintaining that his office has never been remiss in issuing the plates of newly registered vehicles.

“Para sa amin, lahat po ng nagrerehistro ngayon ay nabibigyan po ng plaka. I think, kahit kausapin ninyo ang mga [car] dealer, aminado na sila na kapag pinasok ang dokumento sa LTO, within seven days ay makukuha niyo na po ang OR (official receipt) ninyo, ang CR (certificate of registration) ninyo at yung plaka ninyo,” Tan said in a phone patch interview on “Unang Hirit” Monday morning.

Tan, who is also an undersecretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications, was reacting to criticisms against the new LTO policy, which the agency started implementing on April 1. The new policy penalizes the owner and driver of an unregistered, plate-less vehicle.

Several groups, including the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), have slammed the new policy as unfair to car owners, who get penalized for the alleged inefficiency of the LTO and car dealers in issuing the plates.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino even described the new policy as “unconstitutional” and “un-Christian,” vowing that the MMDA personnel will not be joining the LTO in implementing the policy.

Tan, in defending the LTO, said car dealers and owners can also be blamed for their failure to secure their plates.

“Available po ang mga plaka at mabilis po ang proseso namin,” Tan said, adding that it is the buyer's responsibility to make sure that the car he bought from a dealer is duly registered or in the process of being registered.

“At that point in time na bumili kayo sa sasakyan, ang dapat ninyong itanong sa dealer niyo ay, 'Ready na ba iparehistro ang sasakyan na ito?',” he said.

Tan also explained that car dealers cannot use as an excuse the lack of Certificate of Stock Report (CSR) from the car importers and manufacturers. The CRS is one of the required documents in the registration of the vehicle.

Tan said it is the responsibility of the dealers to demand the CSR from the car manufacturers or importers.

“Yung Certificate of Stock Report ay issued din ho ng LTO sa mga manufacturers at importers. Kasi kung titignan niyo po ang batas, dapat by the time na mapadala ng manufacturer o importer ang sasakyan sa isang dealer, dapat may kasama narin na CSR. Ang nangyayari, nauuna ang sasakyan, nahuhuli ang dokumento,” Tan said.

Tan also dismissed Tolentino's claim that the new policy is unconstitutional.

“Ito po ay base sa batas mismo na nagsasabing bago magamit ang sasakyan, dapat ito ay marehistro muna. Para po sa amin, kami ay nagpapatupad lamang ng batas,” he said.

Tan said he respects the MMDA's decision not to apprehend new vehicles plying without plates, but this, he said, would not stop the LTO from implementing the policy.

“Kung may tutulong sa 'min, salamat, dahil kulang nga po kami sa tao. Kung hindi naman, gagawin lang namin ang trabaho namin at lahat ng makakaya namin para i-implement ang batas,” he said.

Under the new LTO  policy, owner of the unregistered vehicle will be fined with P10,000. A separate P1,000 fine will also be meted out to those who will be caught driving the unregistered vehicle.

If the car owner or driver will be able to present a Certificate of Registration and an Official Receipt (OR) to prove that the vehicle is duly registered, he will still be fined of P5,000 for failure to attach the vehicle's plate.

The policy, meanwhile, gives leeway to owners of vehicles purchased in the past seven days –the LTO's allowable number of days for the owners to have their brand new vehicles registered.

The owner/driver of vehicle purchased within seven days must present the following upon apprehension to avoid penalties: Certificate of Stock Reported, Sales Invoice dated within seven days prior to the apprehension, and a Certificate of Insurance Cover dated on or after the date of the Sales Invoice. —Elizabeth Marcelo/KBK, GMA News