UPDATE: This article was edited on April 28, at 9pm. It seems the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) woes are far from over. Shortly after the agency revealed that it was facing a shortage of plastic for driver’s licenses, it now has another supply problem: license plates.
GMA News reports that the government agency has announced that its supply of motorcycle license could run out by June, and the allotment for four-wheelers could by July. LTO chief Jay Art Tugade says the Department of Transportation—which is in charge of the procurement of license plates worth P4.5 billion—is aware of the issue.
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In an interview with ANC’s Headstart, Tugade explained that the LTO is working on a measure that allows motorists to produce their own temporary plates.
“For example, motorcycle owners, in the absence of a plate number, they can create a plate number and on the plate number, it will say the motor vehicle file number of the motorcycle,” he said.
When asked whether this would potentially create an avenue for increased crime, Tugade added: “You know what, that is precisely the reason for having plate numbers. I agree with you, that could be a possibility. However, we do need to be able to identify motor vehicles and that is one way for us to identify motor vehicles.
“Similar to a brand new motor vehicle, a car, wherein the identification mark is the conduction sticker. We will be applying the same concept to motorcycles in the event that we fully run out of motorcycle plates.”
Take note, however, that Tugade has since clarified that temporary plates are what he meant in this statement, and that improvised or DIY plates will need LTO authorization to use.
