THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Monday, October 13, suspended the prohibition and penalties for the use of improvised and temporary vehicle plates, which were scheduled to take effect on November 1.
LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said the agency needed to review several issues before enforcing the P5,000 fine for motorists without official plates.
He said that ordinary motorists should not be penalized if their official plates had not yet been issued due to reasons beyond their control.
“”Hindi kasalanan ng ordinaryong tao kung ang plaka niya ay hindi naibibigay sa kanya tapos ipa-fine natin siya. Kailangan tinitignan muna natin kasi maraming factors na pwedeng kaabikat ‘yan. Baka dealer ang may problema or sa LTO,” Lacanilao said.
He added that the suspension was meant to give the agency time to audit the situation and ensure fairness.
He reminded motorists without plates to refrain from using their vehicles without proper authorization from the LTO.
“Hindi ibig sabihin na walang huhulihin. Mga kababayang walang plaka, ‘wag naman bumiyahe nang walang authorization,” he said.
The LTO will also suspend the policy that was supposed to take effect on October 15, which would require car and motorcycle dealers to release license plates and the Official Receipt/Certificate of Registration (OR/CR) on the same day new vehicles are turned over to their owners.
“Maganda ‘yung intensyon pero hindi praktikal. Bakit? Mahirap ipadala sa mga probinsya at malalayong lugar. Hindi makatarungan na pinapasa iyung responsibilidad sa mga pribadong negosyo,” Lacanilao said. (ABS-CBN News)
