The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has warned erring motorists they will be penalized for using unauthorized commemorative car plates.
DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. tapped the Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) to arrest violators and work with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to ensure that motorists strictly follow regulations concerning the use of commemorative plates.
The DILG issued the warning after a picture posted on social media about a vehicle with a commemorative plate bearing “PNPA,” alluding to the Philippine National Police Academy. The post went viral.
LTO officials said the agency neither allowed nor approved any commemorative license plate that bears the letters “PNPA” and no such plate was approved by the Transportation department and endorsed to the LTO.
Abalos said under Malacañang Memorandum Order 405, series of 1996, commemorative plates must not be changed or placed on the back of the vehicle or in the space where the regular license plate is placed. It should also not be used for more than six months.
“We also want to emphasize that having a commemorative plate is not a license to disobey traffic laws. If you violate traffic laws, you will still be arrested. We will continue to take the lead to ensure that important laws and regulations regarding commemorative plates are implemented,” Abalos stressed.
“We remind motorists and the public, even government employees to follow the correct use of commemorative plates as per the law,” he added.
LTO chief Jose Arturo Tugade earlier reminded the public that the agency has not recommended any form of commemorative license plates in either private or public vehicles.
“The current administration of the LTO has not recommended commemorative license plates to be issued to motor vehicle owners, thus its use is therefore prohibited,” he said.
Commemorative license plates are those whose use is limited to the observance and/or commemoration of events that bear national significance, and with a validity of only one year as approved by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Authorities said a car owner using an unauthorized license plate would be fined P5,000 , plus confiscation of the unauthorized plate under DOTC Joint Administrative Circular No. 2014-01.
They said commemorative plates should not be used to intimidate enforcers managing traffic and stop them from making apprehensions for traffic violations.