Huli ka!

Everyone better watch out 'cos the PDEA commemorative plates being hawked in the metro these days are fake! These plates are being sold by a group called Citizen Anti-Drug Action Group (CADAG) at PhP 10,000.00, which is quite pricey. They're also saying that the plate will give them "immunity from apprehension by any traffic enforcement units," which we all know is so untrue. So, if anyone tries to sell this to you, do your part to keep our country clean and report them to the PDEA. Their hotlines are 929-7902, 928-3534, 928-4060, 928-0090 and 928-6829 local 0.

Read the full article on the Inquirer here.

Sorry for not posting, guys. The whole team has been pretty busy, and it's taking up so much of our time to maintain the blog.

Anyways, we received a few emails regarding the new rules for attaching commemorative plates, so we decided to post an excerpt from the commemorative plate thread on AutoIndustriya:

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

The Traffic Management Group (TMG) released yesterday new rules on the use of commemorative plates as part of the government's effort to continue the implementation of its "no plate, no travel" policy.

TMG director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said the new rules are part of the amendment of the Department of Transportation and Communications - Land Transportation Office (DOTC-LTO) administrative order governing the use and issuance of commemorative plates.

The TMG said motorists who replace their regular plates with commemorative ones violate the rules. But under the new set of rules, Palad said a "commemorative plate shall be installed in front of a motor vehicle either at the right side or left side of the regular plate. As such the regular plate shall be maintained in the space provided for the purpose. Removal thereof shall be deemed a violation of this order."

The LTO said there are currently only 18 authorized commemorative plates in the country.

Palad said no commemorative plate shall be installed in the rear of a motor vehicle, and the accompanying sticker must be pasted on the upper right hand corner of the front windshield.

Cecille Suerte Felipe

Got this from Autoindustriya.com.

A new commemorative plate from Gawad Pulis Kalinga is now available. Validity is from January 30, 2008 to June 30, 2009.
Are these commemorative plates really good for traffic enforcement or police activities?

The guys noticed that a lot of the people visiting the site were searching for rules on the MMDA's UVVRP. So, we decided to take a look at the MMDA's site and post whatever they have there here.

The UVVRP is in effect from 7:00am to 10:00am and 3:00pm to 7:00pm, Mondays to Fridays, for all cities in Metro Manila, EXCEPT for Marikina, Pasig and Paranaque, which have opted not to implement the program. Also, for the cities of Makati, Malabon and Las Pinas, the UVVRP is in effect from 7:00am to 7:00pm, effectively removing the 10:00am to 3:00pm window. However, the main thoroughfares of EDSA, C5 and Macapagal Ave. passing through these cities are exempted from the UVVRP during the window hours of 10:00am to 3:00pm. The UVVRP is also automatically suspended on regular and special holidays for all cities in the metro.

For those who may be unaware, vehicles with plate numbers ending in 1 and 2 are not allowed on the road during these times on Mondays, 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays and 9 and 0 on Fridays. If the vehicle has not yet been issued a license plate, the last number on the conduction sticker will be used instead.

As for exemptions, there are a lot of these, and the language used is kinda daunting. Here's our attempt to summarize the ones that are contestable. However, note that enforcers can still stop you anytime to confirm whether an exemption applies.

1. Medical practitioners can use their vehicles only if they are responding to medical emergencies. So, being late for the clinic, going home from the hospital or picking up the kids from school does not count, even if you have an MD or Doctor on Call signboard on the vehicle.

2. Media personalities can use their vehicles only if they are on official duties and they display a signboard showing the media agency that they represent. Note that enforcers have the right to confirm this with the concerned media agency, although it is doubtful that they will do this.

3. Non-emergency government vehicles, whether they have the appropriate markings, plates, stickers or otherwise, need to present a duly approved itinerary of travel or trip ticket. If the vehicle does not sport red plates, they also have to present registration papers showing that the vehicle is government-owned.

4. For people who own multiple vehicles bearing the same ending number, they can apply for a permanent exemption for their other vehicle(s) as long as they are all registered under a single name. We are not sure though whether they will be provided with a certificate or if an official sticker, signboard or whatever will have to be displayed on the vehicle or if they will be assigned another number that will apply to the UVVRP. If you ask us, it's better just to apply for a change in plate number. Much less confusing for both the owner and the enforcers.

5. Partial exemptions are also provided to vehicles of members of the Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association, Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines and the Southern Luzon Bus Operators Association, as long as the corresponding MMDA-issued stickers are displayed. What "partial exemption" means or why these people deserve an exemption, we have no idea.

6. All motorcycles are exempted from the UVVRP.

People can also apply for a one-day exemption at the MMDA, but only on the day before they desired exemption date. The MMDA Chairman can also issue exemption certificates based on "highly exceptional circumstances."

Now if you are apprehended, enforcers will confiscate your license and issue you a ticket carrying a fine of P300.00. Based on experience and feedback from the enforcers themselves, once you get caught and are issued a ticket, you can now use your vehicle for the rest of the day. If you're caught again, just show them the ticket and they'll let you go. Which is pretty dumb, in our opinion.

Anyway, for the complete list of exemptions, here is a link to the MMDA's latest regulation covering the UVVRP.

Finally, using commemorative plates DOES NOT, in any circumstance, exempt vehicles from the UVVRP. Though it does make it harder for them to catch you.

Hope this clarifies things for everyone.

Here's a list of valid commemorative plates, which was flashed on a TV report regarding the issue with the BINAY 2010 plate. I believe these were based on LTO's official listing.

ST. SCHOLASTICA CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Valid until June 1, 2008

THE KAWANIS(?) CLUB OF ST. JOHN
Valid until December 31, 2008

UP
Valid until December 31, 2008

LTO 9TH FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY
Valid until December 31, 2008

CANONIZATION OF MARIE EUGENIE OF JESUS
Valid until December 31, 2008

PGH 100TH ANNIVERSARY
Valid until December 31, 2008

MANILA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL
Valid until December 31, 2008

PHILIPPINE PRACTICAL SHOOTERS ASSOCIATION
Valid until May 25, 2009

Here's the video:

By the way, the BINAY 2010 plates have not been approved by the LTO, so having one on your car is considered to be a traffic violation.

Rerouting at Ayala Center
Due to a planned construction of an access ramp to Glorietta V, Hotel Drive, the road right in front of Hotel Intercontinental will be reduced to a single lane. Construction will begin on January 21 and is expected to end by the end of of April.

Check out the article for more information on the rerouting.

Binay 2010 commemorative plates not valid in Makati
Mayor Jejomar Binay has announced that the Binay 2010 commemorative plates will not be recognized in Makati City. According to him, he is not in any way connected, nor given consent, to the group that is releasing these plates. He also stressed that the city's traffic code does not recognize ANY commemorative plate and may earn the driver a fine of P2,000.00 and confiscation of the said plate.

Hehehe. Classic guerrilla marketing technique.

MMDA's u-turn slots and concrete barriers make driving instructors' jobs more difficult
Driving instructors are having a difficult time teaching their students how to deal with the u-turn slots and concrete barriers that the MMDA has been setting up all over the metro, since the LTO does not mention these on their standard driver's manual.

Hay naku. How difficult can it be? First, ALWAYS follow the lane lines. Second, ALWAYS stay on the outermost lane (barring the yellow lanes) and transfer to the next innermost lane only if overtaking. Third, ease into the appropriate lane around 200-300 meters when approaching the u-turn, intersection, turn-off, ramp, exit, access road, barriers, whatever that they will be taking (or avoiding, as the case may be). Third, ALWAYS use your signal light when changing lanes. And use it BEFORE you actually change lanes and not during. Fourth, stay on the leftmost lane if turning left on the next intersection, or the rightmost lane if turning right. Fifth, if traffic is merging from two lanes to one, always follow the alternating rule. Sixth, be courteous to other drivers and avoid inconveniencing others. Last, the pedestrian always has right of way, even if they are jaywalking.

Just imagine how much better driving will be if all drivers follow these simple rules.

Updated list, compiled this from this thread on AutoIndustriya.com's forum.

LUZON MOTORCYCLISTS FEDERATION INC.
Valid until December 31, 2007

ST. SCHOLASTICA'S COLLEGE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Valid until June 1, 2008

LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE 95TH FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY
Valid until July 31, 2008

CANNONIZATION OF MARIE EUGENIE OF JESUS
Valid until December 3, 2008

KIWANIS CLUB OF ST. JOHN
Valid until December 31, 2008

PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL100TH ANNIVERSARY FOUNDATION
Valid until December 31, 2008

MANILA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL
Valid until December 31, 2008

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Valid until December 31, 2008

Not really sure what happened to the Assumption College one, so don't quote me on this one.

Anyways, there are some rules included in the thread, so I suggest you read it by following the link.

Compiled this from a thread on AutoIndustriya.com's forum.

KIWANIS ASIA PACIFIC COMMEMORATIVE PLATE
Valid until March 10, 2008

ST. SCHOLASTICA'S COLLEGE COMMEMORATIVE PLATE
Valid until June 2008

ASSUMPTION COLLEGE COMMEMORATIVE PLATE
Valid until December 3, 2008

PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL COMMEMORATIVE PLATE
Valid until December 8, 2008

LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE COMMEMORATIVE PLATE
Valid until April 2008

For the uninformed, note that having commemorative plates DOES NOT exempt the vehicle from number coding.

Kelangan ba naman malaman ng lahat na konsehal ka?
Anyway, is this a legal commemorative plate? And shouldn't this be placed in front?

Just look at this guy.
And he had the same plates in the front as well. You know what they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Just look at this CR-V seen heading towards SLEX on C5 earlier this afternoon. Tinted na nga yung kanyang rear plate, commemorative pa yung sa harap!
Sobrang dilim na nga yung plate cover, highly reflective pa. Anyway, here's a clearer picture of his rear license plate.
As for commemorative plates, which ones are still considered valid? I've seen those that say Councilor or Mayor. Meron pa nga'ng Lawyer. There are PNP TMG plates, SEA Games plates. Could the LTO just start issuing or publishing the list of allowed ones? Better yet, why not just disallow these and just start issuing real vanity plates? That should give the LTO extra income, considering the Filipino's penchant for cars.

I thought that the use of commemorative plates was already banned?
The second one even had a PNP-sponsored one. Anyway, both of these, seen heading southbound on South Super Highway this morning at around 7:35am and 7:39am, respectively, had green plates at the back.