I'm in Cebu and I saw at least 3 new cars with this plate number configuration.

Logically, 7 means the region where it is from. The "new" plates I saw still doesn't have stickers but curiosity got me when I saw also new cars without "proper" plates but with makeshift plates made from plastic/hard paper with the 7XX-XXX handwritten on it together with "no plate available"

So is this the new plate number configuration?

Now we know right away where region originally a car is from. I just wonder how about the old plates. Will it be compulsary to change old car plates? We just got a new car last January and had plates delivered about 3 weeks ago.

What do you think of this design and the logic behind it?