SENATOR Francis “TOL” Tolentino suggested to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to cancel the certificate of registration (CR) of vehicles if owners failed to claim license plates to ease the distribution backlog all over the country.
Tolentino made the suggestion to LTO Chief and Transportation Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza, Jr. during the senator’s DZRH program on Saturday.
Mendoza revealed that some 1.8 million license plates remained unclaimed, 600,000 of which are in Cebu.
The LTO Chief added that 14 million license plates needed to be printed, the bulk of which comprised plates for motorcycles even as the production of license plates has been bid out and their delivery is expected within the next 20 months.
Mendoza said that within 2023, some one million plates will already be delivered to the LTO.
Senator Tolentino asked Asec. Mendoza about how the LTO handles the proliferation of plate printing by private individuals given the available technology at present in the midst of the unavailability of license plates for motor vehicles.
“Papano natin ito mako-curtail, papano natin ito mahaharang…dapat LTO na lang talaga. Siguro naiinip na ‘yong iba sa tagal ng plaka sa paglalabas, gumawa na lang ng sariling plaka,” the senator said.
Mendoza said they will distribute within 60 days the 1.8 million unclaimed plates, and once these unclaimed plates are distributed, he figured out there is no need for motorists to print their own license plates.
He said the LTO will disseminate the information on unclaimed plates and give owners sufficient time to claim them. After that, implementation of proper acquisition of license plates will be strictly implemented.
He further warned owners of vehicles and their agencies of penalties should license plates remain unclaimed.
According to Mendoza, almost half of the unclaimed license plates are with the dealers of motor vehicles.
