(CNN Philippines) — Officials of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) only had one thing to say to critics of their newly enforced “no registration, no travel” policy: “We are just implementing the law.”
Almost a week after its strict implementation, the controversial travel ban on unregistered motor vehicles drew flak from netizens who took to several social media platforms to express their disapproval.
In a phone interview with CNN Philippines Tuesday afternoon (April 7), LTO spokesperson Jason Salvador said his office would continue to do its job and enforce the law despite the snowballing negative reactions that had surfaced online.
Salvador, meanwhile, denied allegations of LTO’s supposed inefficiency in the issuance of new plates.
“We’ve been saying that again and again: That’s not true,” he stressed.
Regarding the issue on plate distribution delays, Salvador echoed the LTO’s earlier stand that the office issues and releases plates on time.
According to previous reports, delays in the acquisition of new plates can be attributed to lapses made by car dealers or the vehicle owners themselves.
Social media flak
Following the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) suit, several social media users aired their strong objections to LTO’s newly implemented travel ban on unregistered vehicles and cars without plates.
Last week, MMDA Chairman Atty. Francis Tolentino initially tagged the new policy as “unconstitutional.”
Even Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno criticized the policy on his official Facebook page last week.
Isko_Moreno_LTO_comment.png
According to Moreno, it’s the LTO and the car dealers that should be blamed for their “gross inefficiency,” not the motorists.
“There was even a time that the delay took more than 12 months and maybe we should have also implemented a ‘no plate release, no pay’ policy,” Moreno said.
Twitter dwellers also expressed their thoughts on the ‘No Registration, No Travel’ policy.
‘ ’28’: ‘contentWidth’: ‘100%’ ’embedCode’: ‘
Even the @MMDA believes the @DOTCPhilippines "no plate-no travel policy" is WRONG. That's how bad the DOTC plan is.
— Gregorio Larrazabal® 🇵🇭 (@GoyYLarrazabal) April 1, 2015
‘
How annoying is the No Plate,No Travel policy when they're the
ones who haven't released plates yet!Slow clap, LTO. Pang April fool's
ba to?— Tracy Abad (@tracyabad) April
1, 2015
LTO should be TRO'd from enforcing its "No Plate, No Travel"
policy. How can you dictate that when you don't have plates available?!?—
Dennis Valdes (@hkpirate) March
30, 2015
But social media user and blogger Kero Pinkihan publicly shared a personal experience that showed how car dealers could contribute to delays in car registration and plate issuance.
‘ ’34’: ‘contentWidth’: ‘100%’ ’embedCode’: ‘
No plate No Travel I We did our part. Now do yours @toyotamotorph | Kero's Celebration http://t.co/MqKYAHhAMC via @kero_p #PinayMomBlogger
— Kero Pinkihan (@Kero_P) April 7, 2015
‘
The LTO earlier said that motorists could counter claims of travel ban violations if they could prove that delays in the registration of their new vehicle was caused by their dealer.
