LTO-7: No automatic impoundment for vehicles awaiting physical license plates

CEBU, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) has clarified that vehicles without physical license plates are not automatically subject to impoundment, noting that many motorists are still waiting for their plates due to production backlogs and processing delays involving the agency and authorized dealers.

LTO-7 Director Atty. Wendel Dinglasan said motorists whose license plates have yet to be released will not immediately face impoundment, provided they have valid vehicle registration documents and are compliant with existing regulations.

Dinglasan, however, urged vehicle owners to claim their available plates as the agency continues to intensify its distribution campaign across the region.

To help address the backlog, LTO-7 has rolled out several initiatives, including plate distribution drives, the Plate Tracker system, Friendly Flag Down operations, and other public service activities aimed at helping motorists verify, locate, and claim their long-awaited license plates.

Dinglasan encouraged motorists to coordinate with the nearest LTO office and bring valid registration documents to facilitate the release of their license plates and ensure compliance with existing regulations.

The regional director earlier said the agency had released around 50,000 motorcycle and motor vehicle license plates during his first three months in office.

He said the intensified plate distribution campaign, launched in April, has significantly reduced the number of unclaimed plates in the region.

Despite the progress, Dinglasan said LTO-7 still has an estimated backlog of 200,000 to 250,000 unclaimed license plates.

He expressed confidence that the figure could be substantially reduced in the coming months with the cooperation of vehicle owners.

“Kami na ang lumalapit sa kanila kasi ang iba tinatamad nang pumunta sa opisina ng LTO. Pero kung tutulungan nila kami at sila mismo ang pupunta sa LTO, mas mapapabilis ang pag-resolve ng backlog,” he said.

Dinglasan added that their proactive approach is intended to make it more convenient for motorists to obtain their license plates while helping LTO-7 clear the remaining backlog as quickly as possible. — MRM (CEBU NEWS)