Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is threatening to block the proposed budget of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for 2016 if the agency would not heed his call for a 30-day moratorium on “no plate, no travel” policy.
READ: Cayetano calls for 30-day moratorium on ‘no plate, no travel’ policy
The LTO’s “no plate, no travel” policy took effect last April 1.
“Walang mawawala sa LTO at sa gobyerno kung sa loob ng 30 araw ‘wag muna ipatupad ang no-plate-no-travel policy. Ito ay habang inaantay ang supply ng plaka at nirerepaso ang systema ng pag rehistro at pagkuha ng plaka (The government won’t lose anything if we won’t implement the no-plate-no-travel policy in 30 days. We’re doing this while we’re waiting for the supply of new plates and while we’re revising the system on plate registration),” Cayetano said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Threatening vehicle owners with stiff penalties for a problem LTO created is grossly unfair and must stop. At the same time, a moratorium will allow the LTO enough time to set its house in order by fully servicing backlogs of vehicle owners and car dealers,” he said.
The senator said taxpayers deserve real change by providing their plates immediately.
Cayetano also reminded the LTO that in 2013, it collected more than P17.16 billion and another P11 billion from Road User’s Tax.
“The failure of DoTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) and LTO to serve their mandated tasks is inexcusable and unacceptable, yet they have the temerity to invoke the law penalizing victims of their inefficiency,” he said.
The senator has filed Senate Resolution number 1288 seeking an investigation on delayed plates and driver’s licenses. The resolution also pointed to the continued “embarrassing inefficiency” of the LTO.
“Government agencies’ tact of causing inconvenience and punishing the public for their inefficiency and incompetence must stop,” Cayetano added. TVJ
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