A personnel of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) holds sign boards confiscated from unregistered (colorum) public utility vehicles (PUVs). (Screen grabbed from a video posted on DOTr鈥檚 Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� A total of more than 18,900 motorists who are operating their vehicles without registrations were apprehended in May, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) reported on Tuesday.
In a statement, LTO head Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said the delinquent motorists were owners of vehicles that include over 12,200 motorcycles and over 3,000 tricycles.
He added that at least 1,800 vans and over 1,000 private vehicles contributed to the data while the remaining recorded apprehensions were drivers of passenger jeepneys, buses and trucks.
鈥淥ur campaign will remain aggressive until such time that we compel these motor vehicles to comply with their obligation to have their motor vehicles registered because it is through registration that motor vehicles are checked for road worthiness,鈥� Mendoza said.
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According to the LTO, the region of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) had the highest number of apprehended unregistered motor vehicles at 9,906.
It was followed by Mimaropa (Mindoro Oriental & Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and Cagayan Valley.
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Mendoza urged owners of motor vehicles to register their units to avoid fines, citing that 鈥渄riving an unregistered motor vehicle has a P10,000 fine.鈥�
鈥淭his is not only part of your obligation as motor vehicle owners. It is part of your responsibility, not only for your safety, but also of your family,鈥� he said.
The LTO has been coordinating with the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies in apprehending unregistered motor vehicles nationwide./apl