License plates released

The Department of Transportation, through the Land Transportation Office, released yesterday to car dealers the plates of motor vehicles registered in July 2016 nationwide.

LTO-7 Regional Director Victor Caindec said that the distribution of vehicle plates is the culmination of President Rodrigo Duterte's promise "owed to the Filipino people."

The turnover of vehicle plates to several car dealers was witnessed by Presidential Assistant for Central Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino.

"Finally, the Duterte administration has released these vehicles plates although hinay-hinay lang sa. But I am sure kaning mga backlogs sa mga plates masulbad na ni next year," said Dino.

Caindec said that as of July 5, their office has received a total of 17,396 plates of vehicles that were registered from July 2016 to December 2016.

Those who registered their vehicle during this period may claim their plates at the authorized district office or through their respective car dealers.

However, the LTO-7 backlog of vehicle plates is still 59,922 from January 2017 to December 2017 and from January 2018 to May 2018.

Caindec, however, said that they are hopeful that a plate making plant will be put up here in Cebu as one way to solve the problem of vehicle plate backlog.

In a separate press statement, LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar C. Galvante said that as of July 4, 2018, the LTO Plate Making Plant has produced a total of 231,332 pairs of motor vehicle plates since it started operating in April.

However, he said that the release of plates will be gradual and will be announced in the succeeding months.

"We ask the vehicle plate owners to wait for their notification. We do not want the owners to rush to the district offices only to find out that their plates are not yet there," Galvante said.

On motorcycle plates, Galvante said that these will be issued as soon as the bill for differently-sized plates is enacted.—

Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP