Press Release - Tol thanks LTO for pushing back deadline for temporary and improvised license plates, asks agency to ramp up production of official license plates to close backlog

Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino on Tuesday (September 3) thanked the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for pushing back to December 31 the grace period for the use of temporary and provisional license plates for motorcycles and motor vehicles, without the threat of apprehension and penalties.

At the same time, the senator called on the agency to use the extension period to ramp up its production of official license plates for the benefit of millions of riders and motorists.

Interviewed by host Aljo Bendijo on DZXL's 'Straight to the point,' Tolentino said, "We thank the LTO for extending the deadline. The prohibition will resume by December 31, but we hope that by that time, the LTO will have already studied the consequences of its policy and the steps needed to resolve its own backlog."

He continued: "They promised to make significant progress. We'll see what happens on December 31, whether the deadline will be extended further, or if plates will finally be issued. You know, December 31 is also an imaginary target because it's right before the New Year."

While the LTO claims that it has closed the license supply shortage for motor vehicles, the senator said that the backlog remains significant in the case of motorcycle riders.

Tolentino shared: "For Cebu, the LTO came up with a 'solution' that required motorcycle owners to secure a certification to prove that they have not been issued an official license plate yet. They are made to line up and pay P40 for this document. If they get caught, the fine is P5,000."

"Do not penalize motorcycle riders for a problem they did not create. They are unduly being burdened instead of being allowed to ply the road and make a living," he asserted.

The senator also cited the need for the timely issuance of license plates, alongside the Official Receipt/Certificate of Registration (OR/CR) of vehicles. "The issuance of plates should coincide with the release of the OR/CR. It takes longer to produce a motorcycle or car than it does to make a plate. Assembling a vehicle takes more time than producing a plate," Tolentino stressed.

Finally, Tolentino reiterated his appeal to the LTO to refrain from issuing similar