LTO crackdown vs. 'improvised' vehicle plates begins in September

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Tuesday announced that it will begin running after vehicles using improvised plates.

"Naglabas po ako ng memo na ipagbabawal lahat ng improvised plates na ginagaya yung plaka ng gobyerno...Lahat po ng mga sasakyan na mahuhuli naming o makikita naming sa kalsada na mayroong improvised plate, kukumpuskahin naming nationwide," said LTO chief Markus Lacanilao in a press conference.

(I issued a memo banning all improvised plates that imitate government-issued license plates... All vehicles that we apprehend or spot on the road with improvised plates will be confiscated nationwide.)

"Starting September 1, hulihan tayo nationwide," he warned.

(Starting September 1, we will carry out nationwide crackdowns.)

Lacanilao pointed out the rampant sale of fake vehicle plates online.

"Nagiging rampant yung mga kakabayan natin na nagpapagawa ng improvised plates online. Makikita natin 'yan sa Facebook, sa mga videos na nilalabas nila. Paulit-ulit ko pong sinasabi, pinagbabawal po 'yan ng LTO. Wala kaming binibigyan ng authorization na gumawa ng mga improvised na plaka na ginagaya ang plaka ng LTO o issued ng gobyerno," he said.

(It has become rampant among the public to order customized improvised plates online. We see this on Facebook and in the videos they post. I keep repeating this: that is prohibited by the LTO. We do not grant authorization to anyone to produce improvised plates that copy LTO or government-issued license plates.)

Impound

The LTO chief warned that vehicles with unauthorized plates will be impounded.

"Kapag wala kayong authorization to use improvised plate, i-impound ko ang mga kotsye ninyo. Pero kung kayo po ay mayroong authorization to use improvised plate at bumili kayo sa online, na ginagaya yung plaka ng LTO, kukumpiskahin naming yung plaka niyong yun na peke," said Lacanilao.

(If you do not have authorization to use an improvised plate, I will impound your cars. But if you do have authorization to use an improvised plate and you bought one online that copies the LTO plate design, we will confiscate that fake plate of yours.)

Lost plates

But in the instance that a vehicle plate was lost, the LTO said that the vehicle owner must apply for an affidavit of loss to be granted with an "authorization" to use an improvised plate.

"Yung memo po natin, kung wala pa po kayong plaka o nawalan kayo ng plaka...maga-apply ka ng affidavit of lost. Bibigyan kayo ng LTO ng authorization to use improvised plate. Kailangan latest 'yun," said Lacanilao.

(Under our memo, if you do not have a plate yet or if you lost your plate... you need to apply for an affidavit of loss. The LTO will then give you authorization to use an improvised plate. That authorization must be current.)

Once authorized, the LTO chief added that the improvised plate must indicate "LTO lost plate" or "LTO-improvised plate." —VAL, GMA News