3,940 show-cause orders (SCOs) were issued by the Land Transporation Office (LTO) on motor vehicle dealers nationwide for their failure to release license plates, Official Receipt/Certificate of Registration (OR/CR) within the prescribed deadline.
According to LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II, the SCOs were issued to prevent license plates in various motor vehicle dealerships across the country from stockpiling. He added that those who were issued SCOs had already submitted their comments and explanations, and are now subject to investigation.
Depending on the seriousness of the offense, the penalty for the failure to release license plates and LTO documents is up to P1 million.
“Maging aral sana ito sa sa lahat ng car dealers na hindi nagtatapos sa pagbebenta ng mga sasakyan at motorsiklo ang kanilang obligasyon, dapat ay ibigay nila ang mga nararapat na serbisyo sa kanilang kliyente lalo na ang mga plaka at OR/CR dahil napakahalaga nito alinsunod sa mga batas at regulasyon ng ating bansa,” Asec Mendoza warned.
Motor vehicle dealers were called out before to release license plates and OR/CR on time after investigations revealed that they were prolonging its distribution.
Consequently, Asec Mendoza ordered all the local LTO officials to assist vehicle dealers in the distribution of the license plates, after the latter refuted that their clients continue to ignore their messages about it.
Programs like the door-to-door delivery of license plates to the owners were also initiated by LTO offices.
The LTO is also eyeing the implementation of the ‘No Plate, No Travel’ policy. However, they mentioned that they are currently focusing on the backlog for motorcycles by June 2025 as mandated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“(Asec Mendoza) also urged owners of newly-bought motor vehicles to immediately report to the LTO errant agents and car and motorcycle dealerships that would fail to release their license plates and OR/CR on time,” the LTO said in a statement.
