LTO: New license plates are tamper-proof to deter registration violations

New license plates for motor vehicles have tamper-proof security features to deter registration violations, the Land Transportation Office said Friday.

In an interview on "News To Go," LTO spokesperson Jason Salvador said among the new security features are the tamper-proof bolts, which will permanently attach the license plates to the vehicle.

"Kapag hinigpitan mo, may breaking point 'yan, kapag mahigpit na mahigpit na siya, matatanggal ang ulo niya so mawawalan ng kakapitan. In effect, kapag ikabit na sa bumper mo 'yan, wala nang panghahawakan 'yung bolt kung luluwagan mo siya... Parang nakapako na siya," he said.

Salvador cited the case of the Florida Transport bus that fell into a ravine in Bontoc, Mt. Province, where 15 people were killed. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, he said, discovered that the ill-fated bus was using a license plate issued to a different bus.

Also, he said each letter on the new plates will have an imprint of the LTO logo to avoid making fake copies.

The report also quoted Salvador as saying that a sticker plate will also be attached to the windshield of the vehicle which will match the license plate.

License plates of public utility vehicles will indicate the province where the registration was made, it added. Likewise, the license plates of buses will indicate their service routes to avoid colorum operations, the report added.

Moreover, it said license plates issued to Congress officials would indicate the term they are serving to prevent unauthorized extension of the plates' use.

At a public services committee hearing conducted earlier, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said the issuance of the new license plates, which will cost the government P3.85 billion, seems unnecessary given the LTO's existing backlog in registering old vehicles.

"It leaves a bad taste in the mouth, as far as I am concerned, na parang pinipilit natin lahat na magbago ng plaka," Recto said.

The LTO earlier announced that it will be issuing new motor vehicle license plates sporting new designs to replace plates now in use.

License plates for cars and other private vehicles will now have three control letters and four numbers, such as LTO-1234; while motorcycle plates will have two control letters and five numbers, such as AA-12345.

Plates for public utility vehicles will have three control letters and four numbers plus their routes.
 
Government plates will be identified not just by the red color by a mark saying "government" while other designs will indicate where in the country the motor vehicle is registered.

Fees

According to the report, the new license plates will be free for vehicles to be registered for the first time, P450 for those with existing plates and P120 for motorcycles.

The license plates for newly-registered vehicles will be released starting April, while the renewed plates will be in June, the report said.

Meanwhile, Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya clarified that vehicles bought within three years, would not need to replace their license plates until their registration expires.

"For vehicles three years and younger, you'll still enjoy the remaining number of years mo until you get your third year," Salvador said in the same report. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News