MMDA: New car plates still under number coding

MANILA, Philippines - New vehicle license plates to be issued by the Land Transportstion Office (LTO) will still be subject to the Unified Vehicle Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or "number coding," the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.

According to the MMDA, the same rules stated by the UVVRP will cover the new license plates.

Under the UVVRP, vehicles with license plate numbers ending in 1 and 2 are barred from the streets of Metro Manils on Mondays, 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays and 9 and 0 on Fridays.

The number coding scheme is lifted during weekends and holidays. "Coded" vehicles may use the streets during the "window hours" of between 10 am and 3 pm. There are no "window hours" in Makati City. The UVVRP is not observed in the cities of Taguig and Marikina.

The MMDA issued the advisory after the LTO started issuing the new smarter license plates for land vehicles.

The first batch of new license plates, with three control letters and four digits, was released by LTO earlier this month.

The control letters and numbers is an indication of the region where the license plate was issued.

According to the Department of Transportation and Communications, the new smarter license plates are for both four-wheeled motor vehicles and for motorcycles. 

It added that the new plates, having black lettering over a white background, have security measures to thwart removal and tampering.

Owners of new vehicles registered starting Feb. 17 this year may now get the new license plates while the replacement of existing plates will start in the second half of 2014, the DOTC said.