UNCLAIMED PLATES. Some of the 600,000 unclaimed license plate numbers at the LTO-Central Visayas warehouse in Talisay City. LTO-7 regional director Glen Galario on Tuesday (Sept. 5, 2023) said they tasked teams from district and extension offices in distributing the unclaimed licensed plates, following instruction from LTO central office to address the backlog of undistributed plate numbers as soon as possible. (Photo courtesy of LTO-7)
CEBU CITY – A team from each district and extension office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Central Visayas will be activated to distribute more than 600,000 unclaimed licensed plates in four provinces, an official said on Tuesday.
LTO-7 regional director Glen Galario said the various district and extension offices in the region are tasked to receive the necessary documents needed to claim the licensed plates and at the same time, take care of securing the plates to be given to the vehicle owners.
He said the plates will be processed and the registered owners will be notified where to claim as soon as they become available.
Galario designated the new assistant regional director, Arturo Roque Apolinar, to lead the distribution of the plates to car and motorcycle owners.
He said the LTO-7 has embarked with the aggressive distribution of licensed vehicle plates following the instruction of LTO chair Vigor Mendoza II to address the backlog of unclaimed plate numbers as soon as possible.
He said the regional office in Cebu City will start flagging down four-wheel vehicles and motorcycles that are still carrying temporary plates for actual verification if their licensed plates are already available but remain unclaimed.
Aden Belza, LTO-7 head of operations, said they are now flagging down vehicles and motorcycles bearing temporary plates to get the information needed to notify them once verified that their plates are already available for pickup.
The plate distribution of the LTO-7 is at the SM Seaside and has been opened for walk-in clients but the storage facility is in Talisay City.
However, the agency has started coordinating with the dealers to help in the distribution of plate numbers.
“It is now on the pipeline that LTO-7 will soon partner with different fleet operators, local government units, clubs, and other organizations that can assist with the fast-tracking of the distribution of the licensed plates,” Belza told the Philippine News Agency.
The regional office has also requested additional scanners and computers needed to fast track the distribution of the plates.
“These personnel will help in terms of communication such as online chat and messaging systems that will be manned by the different staff in the future,” Belza added. (PNA)
