BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Land Transportation office (LTO-CAR) instituted the appropriate measures to correct the presence of motor vehicles plying the roads with similar license plates attached.
LTO-CAR regional director Francis Ray Almora issued Regional Memorandum No. 2019-105 that will govern the implementation of the appropriate corrective measures on the similar license plates of motor vehicles to avoid confusion among motorists.
Earlier, reports reached the LTO-CAR on the presence of motor vehicles, mostly taxi units, sporting the same system generated temporary plate numbers that raised concern over the same.
The LTO-CAR official directed all chiefs of offices in the agency transacting change classification from for hire to private to conduct the necessary information dissemination, compel the removal of the numeric temporary plates, and request the drivers and owners of the said vehicles to claim their license plate numbers with the new registration unit or their dealers subject to the prescribed schedule of available plates, except motorcycles registered July 16, 2016 to July 31, 2018 – claimed; August 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 – released to dealers; January 1, 2019 to March 31, 2019 – claim before the new registration unit of the LTO-CAR and May 23, 2019 onwards – late released simultaneously with registration.
In cases where the plate numbers cannot be produced, Almora advised owners of motor vehicles to attach a temporary license plate using the alpha numeric conduction sticker of the same.
Further, he pointed out that all operators of substitute public utility vehicles must be reminded of the aforesaid schedule of available plates as no substitute unit must be allowed to change classification from private to fir hire without compliance with the said order.
According to them, the problem on the presence of motor vehicles, especially taxi units, with similar license plates attached was due to the previous system generated temporary license plates that were issued to vehicle owners pending the release of their license plates wherein there were similarities in the 16-digit numbers issued to them.
He claimed that the issue was already addressed in the other regions and the CAR was again left behind in terms of instituting the appropriate corrective measures that is why he was compelled to issue the regional memorandum to prevent further confusion on the matter, especially from the perception of the public.
Instead of trying to create an issue on the said matter, Almora urged the public to be proactive in dealing with the said situation by advising the drivers or owners of the vehicles with similar license plates attached to visit the nearest LTO office form them to be guided on what actions to undertake or simply claim the license plates that will be issued to them once the same is available in their offices.
He expressed optimism that with the cooperation of the drivers and operators, the problem will not be blown out of proportion considering that the corrective measures have already been put in place and it is simply for the drivers and operators to visit the LTO offices to be guided on what steps to undertake on the matter.
By HENT
