PHILIPPINES – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is taking steps to simplify the distribution of unclaimed license plates. LTO Chief Asst. Secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza has pledged to ensure facilities comply with Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista's directive.
On August 1, Mendoza personally inspected the storage area in Cebu province, where approximately 670,000 unclaimed license plates are still stored.
Mendoza stressed the need to establish efficient distribution systems in LTO offices, particularly in Cebu, for a smooth and hassle-free process for plate and license card issuance. He expressed the desire to eliminate the need for the public to rely on fixers and expedite their transactions through a one-stop-shop approach.
"Gusto natin inihahanda na natin ang kapasidad ng ating mga opisina dito, gaya sa Cebu, para pagdating ng mga plaka, dating ng mga license plates eh maganda ‘yung distribution systems natin dito (We want to prepare the capacity of our offices here, like in Cebu, so that when the plates and license cards arrive, our distribution systems will be well-organized)," Mendoza said in an interview with reporters.
Mendoza believes that creating a more accessible and efficient system will eliminate the need for people to seek assistance from fixers. Instead, they can complete their transactions directly through the improved LTO facilities.
The LTO plans to work with other groups and stakeholders to speed up the release of license plates to their respective owners. The agency aims to complete the distribution of the unclaimed license plates by September of this year.
Additionally, the LTO is conducting a thorough investigation into the reasons for a large number of unclaimed license plates, some dating back to 2018. Mendoza stated that they are carefully auditing all related documents to identify any discrepancies and take corrective actions to prevent similar issues in the future. —iTacloban (Source: LTO)