President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has approved the extension of the validity of registration for new vehicles and motorcycles from three to five years, according to Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.
Lopez said the new policy, approved on Tuesday by the President, would curb corruption in the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and provide more convenience to vehicle owners.
The DOTr and the LTO are set to release a Department Order and Memorandum Circular on the new five-year car registration validity that will officially take effect on Feb. 15.
In a statement, Lopez said the move aligns with the extended warranty often provided by car dealerships to new vehicle owners and demonstrates the DOTr’s prioritization of public convenience.
“More than that, [dahil sa extension ng validity] maiiwasan natin ‘yung mahabang pila sa LTO (Land Transportation Office) sa mga magre-renew na naman, tapos may issue rin ng fixers at corruption (because of the validity extension, we’ll avoid long lines at the LTO, and then there’s the issue of fixers and corruption),” he said.
The policy would also solve the issue of motor vehicle owners failing to renew their vehicles after their third year.
“On the sixth year, kailangan nang i-renew ‘yan (it will need to be renewed) and every year thereafter. Ang rason po dyan, habang tumatagal o tumatanda ang ating sasakyan (The reason for this is when a vehicle gets older), it becomes less reliable because of depreciation or wear and tear,” Lopez said.
He said car registration allows the LTO to conduct a comprehensive roadworthiness check before allowing a vehicle back on the road.
On the other hand, Lopez called on vehicle dealerships, particularly the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI), to provide free vehicle registration for their customers.
“I think 80 to 90 percent of car dealers, nagbibigay sila ng (they offer) free registration as a come-on. Makikiusap ako sa CAMPI na baka pwede pa rin nilang gawin, free registration pa rin para at least makakatipid ‘yung ating mga kababayan (We will ask CAMPI if they can still do this, make registration free so that the public can save money),” he said.
