Even before the pandemic, Baguio City is a popular destination for riders of both small and big displacement motorcycles. A lot of times, especially for first-timers and riders of sub-400cc motorcycles, just reaching Baguio is a feat in itself, as the travel is long for first-timers while riders of small bikes will have to contend without using the expressways for convenience.
While Baguio City now welcomes tourists who are completely vaccinated to enjoy the weather and other city attractions, you will not be welcomed if you are riding a motorcycle without a plate number.
Just recently, a new city ordinance was passed on the third and final reading prohibiting all types of vehicles from plying along the streets of Baguio if it doesn’t have a plate number yet from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
Simply put, Baguio City will be a “No Plate, No Travel” zone very soon.
My motorcycle dealer has not issued my bike’s plate number, what do I do?
While it is true that the LTO hasn’t even come close to stamping the number of motorcycle number plate backlogs since 2016, it is not at all an excuse to travel without the necessary number plate attached at the back of your motorcycle.
Since 2017, the LTO has issued a memo outlining the guidelines of how to put and attach a temporary plate number on your motorcycle.
For lack of a conduction sticker, the Motor Vehicle (MV) File Number number will serve as the focal point of the motorcycle temporary plate. In addition, the word REGISTERED as well as the name of the dealer it was bought from must also be visible. The LTO also ordered that the temporary plates will have to indicate the Region it was registered in (Region 3 covers Central Luzon, i.e. Bulacan).
Fines
Motorists that will fail to follow the ordinance will face a fine of PhP 2,000 for driving a vehicle without a license plate, conduction sticker, MV file number, or temporary license plate. A separate fine of PHP 5,000 will also be imposed on motorists driving a motor vehicle with a different license plate, conduction sticker, motor vehicle file number, or temporary license plate other than those issued by the LTO.
Why the new ordinance?
According to Baguio City’s Engineering Office-Traffic and Transport Management Division (CEO-TTMD), there is still 2,166 unclaimed vehicle license plates in their office. These were confiscated between 2010 and 2020, during the operations of the BCPO together with the traffic aides of the CEO-TTMD, the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD), and barangay officials for the implementation of Ordinance 07-1984 (Comprehensive Transportation and Traffic Regulations for the City of Baguio), and Administrative Order 116-2016 or the Operation Anti-Road Obstruction.
