The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Wednesday, December 4, clarified that new policies prohibiting improvised plates are suspended indefinitely.

In a statement Wednesday, the LTO said the implementation of Memorandum Circular (MC) VDM-2024-2721 and MC VDM-2024-2722 has been suspended since September 30 to give motor vehicle owners more time to obtain their license plates.

Both MCs were deferred by LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, through a memorandum circular addressed to all regional directors and other officials issued on November 27.

Under MC VDM-2024-2721, there was no more backlog in the production of motor vehicle plates, and they set a deadline against the use of all improvised and temporary plates beginning August 1.

On the other hand, MC VDM-2024-2722 ordered all participating riders in the motorcycle taxi pilot study to strictly comply with several LTO requirements, including having a license plate.

In an interview over PTV, LTO Executive Director Greg Pua said delays in the fulfillment of the LTO’s backlog of license plates were caused by lack of budget and delays in production despite full delivery of plates to the LTO’s plate-making plant.

He said the plant has been operating 24/7 and has so far reduced the backlog for motorcycle plates from around 13 million to 9.1 million.

He assured that the agency is working triple times to address the backlog in motorcycle plates, aiming to achieve a zero backlog by June next year. (PNA)