CEBU CITY – Sen. Francis N. Tolentino has suggested the construction of more manufacturing plants to address the license plate backlog.

Tolentino said there should be plants manufacturing license plates not just in Manila but also in the Visayas and Mindanao.

SEN. Francis Tolentino attends an event of ‘habal-habal’ (motorcycle-for-hire) groups in Cebu City on Saturday, Dec. 7. (Calvin D. Cordova)

“There should be three manufacturing plants. One in the Visayas, one in Mindanao, and in Manila. They will manufacture license plates all together so that we can end this problem already,” said Tolentino, who was in Cebu on Saturday, Dec. 7, to attend an event by various “habal-habal” (motorcycle-for-hire) groups here.

Tolentino urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to fast-track the manufacturing of license plates. “To the LTO, hurry up because the backlog is already at 9.1 million,” the senator said.

Addressing the habal-habal drivers, Tolentino said he worked for the suspension of an LTO order that will prohibit the use of temporary plates beginning Jan. 1.

Tolentino said the LTO should instead focus on solving the backlog instead of apprehending people caught using temporary plates.

“They are the ones who are at fault, then it’s you who will be apprehended. Are they insane?” Tolentino said, drawing applause from the motorcycle riders.

Tolentino said the indefinite suspension of LTO's deadline for temporary plates was “a victory for motorcycle riders."

"The suspension of its Dec. 31 deadline by LTO 'until further notice' provides relief for motorcycle riders affected by the massive license plate backlog. It will allow them to go about earning a living without the threat of being apprehended and fined," said Tolentino.

The senator on Tuesday met of members of the Motorcycle Taxi Community Alliance (MTCA) who held a protest in front of the Senate in Pasay City to air their grievances.

According to MTCA, some of their members have yet to receive their official license plates for several months, and some even for years, since purchasing their motorcycle.

Tolentino, who previously called on the LTO to extend its Sept. 1 deadline and defer to Dec. 31, committed to intercede on behalf of the riders.

"The indefinite suspension is clearly a victory for millions of motorcycle riders. But deferring the memorandum is not enough. The LTO must be definite about its pronouncements on when it could finally resolve its backlog. It's a disservice to keep the public always guessing, and to keep setting unrealistic deadlines for motorists' compliance, when the agency itself cannot meet its own targets," said Tolentino.