LTO-Bais City needs more vehicle plates

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – As the 45-day suspension of the government’s “No plate, No travel policy” is nearing its end soon, the Land Transportation Office in Bais City, Negros Oriental has announced that it is still facing the perennial problem of lack of official plates for motorcycles.

Janine Lawas, chief of the LTO-Bais District Office, disclosed that until today, she is awaiting the delivery of at least 5,000 plates that she had requested from the LTO Central Office.

Lawas said that since last Feb. 15, the LTO had suspended the “No Plate No Travel” policy until March 31 this year due to lack of materials in making plate numbers, as cited in Memorandum Circular No. DPT-2012-1628.

The suspension has allowed registered motorcycles (MC) and motor vehicles (MV) that are duly registered but with no official plates to still travel so long as the driver or owner can present documents that he or she has already registered the unit with the LTO, Lawas said.

While the LTO-Bais District Office has available plates for MVs or four-wheeled vehicles, it is in dire need of plates for motorcycles, considering the high number of applicants for new registration each month, as well as for “backlogs” on MC units that have been previously registered and have been travelling without official plates for years, he said.

“It is very difficult to catch up with my office’s requirements for these plates and we are appealing to our clients to bear with us,” said Lawas, as she disclosed that the LTO Central Office is still in the process of procurement of official plates.

During a recent forum in Tanjay City, Lawas said owners of MCs and MVs that are duly registered may still travel with temporary plates that comply with the specifications set by the LTO.

These temporary plates should bear the same colors, same font and same measurement as that of the original official plate, she said.

Also, the driver of the motorcycle or motor vehicle must be able to present an LTO-issued authority to use improvised plates to avoid apprehension and penalties, said Lawas.

Lawas added that her office has not yet received notice from the LTO Central Office on whether the suspension of the “No Plate, No Travel” policy would be extended, even as hoped that additional plates will be delivered to her office at the earliest possible time.  (FREEMAN)