Marcos issues EO on protocol license plates, removes judges from list

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signs a new EO to regulate protocol license plates for government officials. (INQUIRER file photo / JOVIC YEE)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued Executive Order (EO) No. 56 to regulate the issuance of protocol license plates to government officials.

EO No. 56 is an amendment to EO No. 400, which had previously included regional trial court (RTC) judges in the list of authorized government officials who can use the protocol plates.

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“It has been observed that complaints about the proliferation and unauthorized use of protocol license plates continue to increase over the years, threatening public safety and undermining the integrity of the vehicle registration system,” according to EO No. 56 issued last March 25 and publicized on Thursday.

The new EO has removed number 16 from the list of protocol plates allowed to be used by government officials. This number used to be given to RTC judges.

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Below is the list of officials who are allowed to use protocol plates No. 1 to 12 and then 14 based on the new EO:

President (1)
Vice President (2)
Senate President (3)
Speaker of the House of Representatives (4)
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (5)
Cabinet Secretaries (6)
Senators (7)
Members of the House of Representatives (8)
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court (9)
Presiding Justices of the Court of Appeals (10)
Presiding Justices of the Court of Tax Appeals (10)
Presiding Justices of the Sandiganbayan (10)
Solicitors General (10)
Chairperson of the Constitutional Commission (11)
Ombudsman (11)
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (14)
Chief of the Philippine National Police (14)

“All previously-issued protocol license plates issued pursuant to EO No. 400, as amended, except those issued to incumbent authorized officials under Section 1 hereof, are deemed expired,” the order read.

“The LTO, in coordination with concerned agencies, is hereby directed to revoke and/or confiscate all expired protocol license plates, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations,” it stated.

The three-page EO 56 also noted that “all other officials with equivalent rank as the above-authorized officials” may be allowed to use protocol license plates based upon the recommendation of the LTO, the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and based on the list of all officials with equivalent rank as the above-authorized officials of the Department of Budget and Management.”

The Associate Justices of the CA, CTA and Sandiganbayan may also use the protocol licensed plates upon the recommendation of the LTO and approval of the Transportation secretary.

However, the order cautioned that it should not be “construed to authorize all other officials with equivalent rank as the Associate Justices of the CA, CTA and Sandiganbayan and below to use protocol license plates.”

The EO also specified that special license plates given to authorized officials are only good while they are in office.

These plates can only be used on cars registered in their name or on vehicles officially assigned to them, it added.

Furthermore, the document explained that authorized officials can only obtain up to two sets of special license plates.

The President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, on the other hand, can have up to three sets of plates.

The EO likewise directed the DOTr to “develop and maintain” a registry of protocol license plates issued to authorized government officials or motor vehicles.

Together with the LTO, the agency was also tasked to come up with guidelines that will not expand the list of authorized officials who can use the protocol plates.

The EO 56 will take effect immediately after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.