Huli ka!

This post is in response to dorele's query (11 Aug 08, 15:25) in the shoutbox:

Hi Dorele,

Unfortunately, we could not find any reference to a "no plate, no travel" policy on the 'net. This leads us to believe that this falls under the no plate violation, which carries a P150.00 fine (for both the LTO and the MMDA). No mention on whether the vehicle can be impounded, though.

As for new vehicles, the car dealers say that the invoice/delivery receipt is valid for seven days from the date of issuance. However, all the government agencies officially claim that invoice/delivery receipt is only valid for the day that the vehicle is to be delivered to the buyer.

Hope this clarifies things somewhat.

The Huli Ka! Team

Anyway, we think this question arose 'cos of MMDA's and LTO's recent push to apprehend those who are violating this policy. What we don't understand is how come it takes sooooo long for the LTO to issue new plates. Can't they just stock up on them? Better yet, why not issue a whole bunch of plates to the dealer based on projected sales? That way, if a buyer walks in, they can actually leave with their new car immediately without having to worry about being stopped by traffic enforcers on their way home. I'm sure one can think of the appropriate controls to ensure that these plates won't be used to legitimize smuggled vehicles. All it takes is a little bit of thinking and a lot of enforcement to make it a reality.