Ben Madilynn
Some motorcycle and vehicle drivers in Cebu City are still confused about the new guidelines on the use of improvised and temporary plates with the implementation of the circular set on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024.
Under the Land Transportation Office’s Memorandum Circular VDM-2024-2721, all improvised plates that are awaiting the replacement of their lost or mutilated plates must process their duplicate plate request and must obtain an authority or permit to use an improvised plate.
The improvised plate must also display the assigned plate number and the words “Improvised Plate” and will only be valid until the actual plate is available.
Temporary vintage vehicle plates must have the word “Vintage Vehicle” and the model year must be reflected. Authorization to use temporary vintage plates is no longer necessary.
The temporary plates of new four-wheeled motor vehicles will only be valid within 15 days from the issuance of the sales invoice. The temporary plate should also reflect the assigned conduction sticker number.
For private motor vehicles, temporary plates must be on a white background with black alphanumeric. Electric and hybrid vehicles must also use a white background with green alphanumeric for their temporary plates.
While government temporary plates must use a white background with red alphanumeric.
For motorcycle temporary plates, the use of MV File Number shall only be allowed for motorcycles purchased before January 1, 2023.
“For new motorcycles or those to be purchased after the effectivity of this Memorandum Circular, the use of temporary plate reflecting the MV File Number shall be valid only within 15 days from the issuance of sales invoice,” read the memorandum.
Under the Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01, failure to attach improper or attachment/tampering of authorized motor vehicle license plates shall face a penalty of P5,000.
The violation includes the attachment of any unauthorized plates or any accessory or device to and/or around the authorized motor vehicle license plate or any manner of attachment that impedes in any way the visibility or reflectivity of the authorized motor vehicle license plate.
Confuse
The drivers who flocked to the LTO 7 in a mall in Cebu City on Friday, August 30, were not well aware of the mandate.
“Didtu sa gipalitan naku og motor kay ingun man siya nga need naku mukuha og authorization letter, wa sab siguro sila kahibaw nga ang need ra kay 2023 hantud 2024 (At the place where I bought my motorcycle, they told me that I needed to get an authorization letter. I guess they don’t know that the authorization is only needed for 2023 to 2024),” said a motorcycle owner from Cebu City who asked not to be named.
The driver, who started queuing at the LTO around 10 a.m., was still in the line at around 6 p.m.
“Yesterday, I found out from my dealer about the mandate, but I only got my 2019 plate number since the 2016 plate is backlogged. So I asked the dealer what to do, and the dealer said I needed to ask for authorization from the LTO,” the owner said while dissatisfied after clarifying with an LTO staff that only the purchased motor vehicles and motorcycles after January 1, 2023, are subject to the authorization.
Habal-habal driver Jack Aleman, 40, from Brgy. Mabolo, Cebu City, said he read the information from a Facebook post.
He said that there had been a long queue at the LTO since Thursday, August 22, adding that he had been in line since morning and finished in the evening.
“Hasul man gyud, nganu oras, trabaho namo, gasto pa og kaon unya mga pasmo na mi kay nganung dire raman pud gud sa Galleria nga kadaghang office sa LTO (It’s such a hassle. Why waste our time and work? We even have to spend on food, and we’re already exhausted. Why is it only here in Galleria, when there are many LTO offices?),” Aleman said.
Other drivers who were queuing at the LTO also expressed confusion upon the circular, stressing that the agency has yet to release the backlog plate numbers of those who purchased their vehicles and motorcycles before January 1, 2023.
Implementation
Starting September 1, the LTO 7 will give tickets to vehicles with the wrong or homemade temporary plates, even with almost 300,000 unclaimed license plates.
LTO 7 Regional Director Glen Galario said LTO is committed to ensuring the safety of motorists by requiring all vehicles on the road to have proper identification.
“The implementation of these new guidelines is a crucial step towards achieving this goal. We urge all vehicle owners to comply with the new regulations and secure the necessary permits to avoid any inconvenience,” said Galario. /CDF
