LTO reverses decisions on detentions and penalties
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 7 has issued a clarification regarding the enforcement of the "No Plate, No Travel" policy in Mandaue City. The policy, which requires all vehicles to have official, permanent license plates before they can travel on public roads, has been causing some confusion among vehicle owners.
According to the LTO's official statement, there will be no immediate fine collection for vehicles using temporary or old plates. This statement contradicts earlier reports suggesting that apprehensions and fines would start mid-August 2025. The LTO has also clarified that no deadline for the policy's enforcement has been set, pending instructions from LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II.
Vehicle owners, including tricycle operators, are urged to claim their official license plates at the LTO office in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, or other designated offices depending on their registration year. The LTO Subangdaku office primarily serves vehicles registered from 2018 onwards, while owners of vehicles registered between 2014 and 2017 with MV file numbers starting with "0716" are directed to claim their plates at the LTO Cebu City District Office in Robinsons Galleria or the nearest LTO branch.
The LTO's clarification comes after concerns were raised about delays in plate delivery and inconsistent communication. More than a hundred vehicle owners have been lining up outside the LTO in Subangdaku, Mandaue City this week, hoping to claim their plates. The LTO has assured the public that they are working to distribute all remaining backlog plates before any official deadline is enforced.
The LTO's statement also thanked the public for their cooperation in the campaign to release all backlog plates. One such vehicle owner, Eric Dueñas from Lapu-Lapu City, finally received the official plate for his 2016-registered vehicle after nearly a decade of waiting. Another, Jiar Labitad, arrived at the LTO Subangdaku office at 4 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 8, due to fear of apprehension and fines, but was relieved to find out that no apprehensions would be conducted for vehicles that have not yet claimed their plates.
Despite the clarifications, the LTO 7 Director, Glen Galario, has had to issue contradictory statements about the policy's enforcement. In a previous media interview, he stated that the agency would begin apprehending vehicles with temporary plates the following week. However, in his latest statement, he assured the public that no apprehensions would be conducted and no fines would be imposed for vehicles using temporary or old plates.
The LTO 7 is continuing to work towards ensuring that all vehicles in Mandaue City comply with the "No Plate, No Travel" policy. They are urging vehicle owners to complete all documentation, including certificates of registration and notarized deeds of sale for secondhand vehicles, to claim their plates without issue. The LTO also encourages vehicle owners to check their registration year and MV file number to determine where they should claim their plates.
- Despite the confusion, the Cebu City District Office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) advises tricycle operators and other vehicle owners registered between 2014 and 2017 to claim their official license plates at the LTO office in Cebu City, as the Subangdaku office primarily serves vehicles registered from 2018 onwards.
- The Finance industry may witness increased transactions in the Cebu region as the enforcement of the "No Plate, No Travel" policy in Mandaue City progresses, given the potential for tricycle operators and vehicle owners to invest in acquiring the necessary licenses and plates for their vehicles.
