Duterte to suspend double plates law for motorbikes

Credit to Author: Alexander Magno| Date: Sat, 06 Apr 2019 16:20:55 +0000

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday night that he would suspend the implementation of a new law requiring bigger and color-coded number plates for motorcycles.

Speaking in Iloilo City on the occasion of the 25th National Federation of the Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines Annual National Convention, the President said he would talk to Sen. Richard Gordon who was behind the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act that in all countries there were no motorcycles that had two plate numbers, only one at the back of the vehicle.

“I will try to convince the Land Transportation Office to hang on it. I will suspend it,” the President said, causing his audience to cheer and applaud.

The President said it would be “dangerous to place another gadget” in front of a motorcycle as this could pierce through a rider’s helmet.

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“Anything that is sharp, has sharp edges, is not good,” he said.

The Chief Executive also said the P50,000 fine for violators was “too high” and he proposed the fine to be just P10,000 to P15,000.

“As a compromise, you have to enlarge the plate number [at the back of the motorcycle] by one fourth so that the number can be seen,” the President added.

On March 8, he signed the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, or which mandates the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to issue bigger and color-coded number plates for motorcycles.

He said he signed it because it was based on a recommendation by the police and military.

The law covers two or three-wheeled motor vehicles, including scooters, mopeds, and motorcycles with such appendages as sidecars, as well as tricycles or trikes, including government-owned vehicles.

According to the law, the font style on the plates would be decided by the LTO. It should be bigger and readable from the front, side and back of the motorcycle from a distance of 15 meters from the vehicle.

The plates, to be made of durable material, should be displayed on both the front and back sides of the motorcycle.

The law also requires the LTO to have a registry of motorcycles in a database for easy retrieval when needed for investigations and law enforcement.

“Motorcycle owners with number plates not in conformity with the provisions of this Act, shall renew their registration and apply for the required readable number plate not later than June 30 this year,” according to the law.

For its part, the LTO has until Dec. 31 this year to produce, release and issue the number plates. /atm

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