JV Ejercito bats for higher LTO budget to address license plate backlogs
February 27, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito has vowed
to push for an increase in the budget of the Land Transportation Office (LTO)
to expedite the production of motorcycle license plates.
Ejercito said the agency can address its
license plate backlogs in two to three years so long as there is adequate
funding for plate production.
“Dadagdagan natin yung budget para mas
mapabilis ang kanilang production. Iyon naman ang sabi ni LTO chief Atty. (Jay
Art) Tugade, na kaya naman nila in two to three years ‘yan, basta meron lang
budget for the production at kung rear plate lang ang kanilang proproblemahin,
kakayanin,” he said.
At present, the agency’s license plate
backlogs have reached around 14 million pieces, the lawmaker from San Juan
said.
He urged the LTO to prioritize the
manufacturing of rear license plates since he has already filed a bill that
seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11235, more popularly known as the Doble Plaka
Law.
In April 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte
ordered the agency to suspend the implementation of the said law due to safety
concerns on the part of motorcycle riders.
Ejercito’s Senate Bill No.159 aims to replace
the mandatory installation of oversized license plates in front of motorcycles
with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner system.
“Sinuspinde ‘yan ni President Duterte pero
kinausap din natin ang LTO na meron tayong amendment ngayon na unahin muna na
nila, for practicality and para mas mabilis na magkaroon ng plaka ang lahat for
peace and order, unahin na nila yung rear plate para yung backlog ay mabilis na
matapos at makumpleto,” he said.
Ejercito said resuming the implementation of
the Doble Plaka Law would make it difficult for the LTO to resolve its license
plate backlogs and drive up motorcycle-assisted crimes.
“Kung dodoblehin natin ‘yan sa decals, baka
abutin ng limang taon, anim na taon bago matapos yung backlogs. Madadagdagan pa
yung mga bagong motor,” he added.
“Sa akin, mas importante na lahat ng motor,
mabigyan na natin ng plaka, kahit rear plate muna,” he said.
