The riding community can heave a sigh of relief, at least for now.
This after Land Transportation Office (LTO) Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz admitted that the much-maligned “Doble Plaka” law that covers millions of motorbike riders will not immediately be implemented due to lack of number plates.
In a radio interview, Cruz said unless all the plates are available, the law requiring riders to put up mumber plate at the back and front of the motorcycle.
“Hindi pa po natin ito ma-implement kasi hindi pa po available ang mga plaka,” said Cruz, adding that no rider will be apprehended for nowbecause of the lack of a two-plate policy.
Cruz likewise clarified that for now, the riders will be required to put up sticker decals at the front of their bikes. He did not clarify however if the sticker decals will eventually be replaced by aluminum plates.
Blank plates have already arrived, according to Cruz, but their supplier would only be able to deliver about 1.7 million printed plates in July.
The LTO recently came out with the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) of RA 11235, also known as the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Law or the “Doble Plaka” among the riders community.
Signed into law on March 28 last year, the RA 11235 drew a howl of protest from various motorcycle groups not only for the “doble plaka” rule but also against the steep penalties ffor non-compliance.
Violators face a heavy fine of P50,000 to P100,000 or face imprisonment.
The riders aired their sentiments on social media against the said law, which they claim, was so untimely especially at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic that motorcyle has become the main form of transportation and delivery of goods in Metro Manila.
“Riders are the ones making the economy move at this time of the pandemic, please don’t make life difficult for us at this time,” a facebook post read.
Cruz said that only the registration aspect of the law will be immediately implemented by the LTO which requires new owners to register their motorcycle within five days.
Other violations stipulated in the RA 11235 also include failure to report within 24 reports hours of stolen or lost plate number and using a bike with faded, tampered or concealed number plate.
