CEBU CITY – The Land Transportation Office-Central Visayas (LTO-7) conducted the region-wide “Oplan: Bigay Plaka” on Saturday, September 9, to speed up the release of unclaimed license plates.
Led by regional director Glen Galario, LTO-7 personnel flagged down vehicles bearing temporary license plates.

THE Land Transportation Office-Central Visayas led by regional director Glen Galario flags down a vehicle with a temporary license plate as part of the ‘Oplan: Bigay Plaka’ campaign on Saturday, September 9. (Contributed photo)
Galario said the purpose was not to apprehend those driving vehicles with temporarylicense plates but to check if their plates are already with LTO-7.
“We checked their records, got their details, and once we found out that their license plates are already available, we will text them so they can pick up their plates,” Galario said.
The operation was in response to the directive of LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II who urged the LTO-7 to ensure that the bulk of the unclaimed license plates will be distributed by the end of the year.
Galario said distributing the majority of these unclaimed license plates by the end of the year is a challenge but assured that the LTO-7 is up to the task.
“This is a big challenge for us but we are confident that the number of unclaimed plates will significantly drop in the coming months,” said Galario.
According to LTO-7, there are more than 600,000 unclaimed license plates in the region.
Galario became chief of LTO-7 last June 21. Since then, the agency has released around 63,083 license plates.
LTO-7 Assistant Regional Director Engr. Arturo Roque Apolinar has been tasked to lead the distribution of unclaimed license plates.
Galario has ordered district and extension offices in Central Visayas to accept the necessary documents needed to claim these license plates.
Registered owners will be notified where and when to claim these license plates once available.
The LTO-7 has established a distribution center at SM Seaside here where vehicle owners can claim their license plates and will also partner with different fleet operators, local government units, clubs, and other organizations to fast-track their distribution.
The LTO-7 requested more personnel, scanners, and computers for its storage facility in Talisay City.