Half a million new plates unclaimed

MORE than 500,000 motorcycle and motor vehicle private plates remain unclaimed by their owners in Central Visayas as of May 19, 2022.

Data from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) showed that about 451,379 motorcycle private plates remain unclaimed since 2014 onwards; while 66,290 motor vehicle plates also remain unclaimed since 2015.

LTO 7 Director Victor Caindec, however, said this is not yet all the plates that the agency still has to release.

Of those already available, Caindec said they have so far released 24,994 motorcycle plates. Of the number, 19,072 were released through the dealers and 5,922 through the motorcycle owners.

About 12,523 motor vehicle plates were also released since the beginning of the distribution, all of which were given through the owners.

Caindec met with the dealers in April to seek their help in the distribution through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LTO.

Caindec said this allowed them to properly account for the release of the plates.

Based on the MOU, no fees shall be collected by the dealers on behalf of the LTO for the release of the plates, Caindec said.

Out of 280 dealer entities, only three corporations signed the MOU.

The LTO 7 has opened a walkin distribution center in SM Seaside but Caindec noted that only few people go there to claim their plates.

The regional director added it is the owner’s responsibility to claim the plates as the LTO cannot have them delivered door-to-door.

Caindec called on vehicle dealers to work with the LTO and sign the MOU to ensure that their clients will be able to get their new plates.

“The solution is the dealers. Why can they go to LTO and yet they can’t get the plates,” asked Caindec.