High distribution of MV plate numbers in Bataan bared

PILAR, Bataan – A top official of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) revealed that despite the much-ballyhooed shortage of motor vehicle (MV) plate numbers, the Bataan LTO district office has been able to secure at least 80 percent of its needed new plate numbers.

Ronald Dabu, Bataan LTO chief, said that for the period January to April of this year, a total of 4,658 MV plate numbers have been secured by his office from the LTO Central Office in Manila, representing at least 80 percent of the expected 5,458 MV plates.

Dabu attributes this development to the support of their director Marina de Jesus. He however pointed out that only 50 percent of the available new replacement MV plates have been claimed so far by the registered owners.

Dabu said that most of the owners are from far towns and that they probably are busy so they have no time to get their new replacement plates. “Maybe, to save time and gasoline, the owners just wait for the right time to claim it, but they can claim it anytime at our office.”

He added “anyway, they still have their existing old plates and they can still use it.” LTO Central office has become the subject of almost daily criticisms from irked lawmakers and media due to their failure to produce new plate numbers, despite the billions of pesos allocated for it.