The Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced on Sunday that it has extended the deadline for prohibiting the use of improvised and temporary plates for motor vehicles.

Originally set for 1 September, the new deadline for enforcement will be 31 December this year.

However, LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II, emphasized that this extension should not delay motor vehicle owners from installing their available license plates.

‘We ask the motorists to claim and install their respective license plates as soon as they are available either in the car dealerships and replacement plates in our offices,” he said.

The LTO earlier issued a memorandum circular against the use of improvised and temporary plates after an initial investigation revealed that registered owners of vehicles, especially the newly bought ones, are not claiming their license plates from motor vehicle dealerships.

Thousands of license plates remain unclaimed in various motor vehicle dealerships and in a meeting with car dealers last month, the car dealers said their clients are unable to claim the plates despite their repeated message to them.

Mendoza said that installing license plates is also part of the LTO's crime prevention efforts, especially since some vehicles are used in criminal activities.

“There is no longer a backlog for four-wheel vehicles, so there is no reason for these vehicle owners not to claim and install their plates,” Mendoza said.

“The only remaining backlog is for motorcycle plates, and this is our current focus in compliance with President Marcos' directive to address all license plate backlogs by June next year,” he added.