LTO waives penalties to help storm-hit motorists

Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II. Arnel Tacson/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Friday said it will waive the payment of penalties for late registration of motor vehicles (MVs) and renewal of driver’s licenses as a form of assistance to those affected by Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” (international name: Trami).

Vigor Mendoza II, LTO chief, said the recommendation to waive the penalties was approved by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

In a memorandum, Mendoza said the waiving of penalties covers the late registration for vehicles with October 2024 expiration as well as for the driver’s license expiring from Oct. 21 to Oct. 31.

The penalties shall be waived until Nov. 8. He added the validity of the driver’s licenses and MV registrations falling within the mentioned period are likewise extended until Nov. 8.

Mendoza, meanwhile, said the imposition of penalty for new registration, the counting of days from date of sales invoice shall only commence on the next working day after Nov. 8, for motor vehicles, including motorcycles, purchased from Oct. 21 to Oct. 31.

He said the waiving of penalties will be a nationwide coverage as Kristine hit almost the entire country. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said around 2 million people were affected by the weather disturbance.

Aid for stranded passengers

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said government-operated airports continue to assist, in their own way, passengers and residents of local communities affected by the storm.

CAAP airports are sheltering individuals unable to return home due to impassable roads. At Bicol International Airport, 35 stranded passengers opted to stay at the passenger terminal building on Thursday night to catch their next flight on Friday.

At Naga Airport, 43 people, including four families and students from Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, were accommodated in the passenger terminal building on Tuesday.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said as of 8 p.m. Thursday it served hot meals to more than 8,000 individuals; provided psychological first aid to 460 persons; and served 394 patients. The 143 volunteers and staff of the PRC were also mobilized on the ground while welfare desks and first aid stations were strategically prepositioned in severely affected areas.

PRC chair Richard Gordon said a “comprehensive humanitarian caravan,” composed of an amphibian water vessel, service vehicle, 6×6 truck, food truck and five rubber boats, was dispatched to the storm-affected provinces on Wednesday.