Motoring
From commemorative to decorative
MOTORING TODAY By Ray Butch Gamboa, SPMJ
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The latest ruling from the Department of Transportation & Communications (DOTC) regarding the use and issuance of commemorative plates says, “The commemorative plate shall not be superimposed over the regular plate. It shall be installed in front of a motor vehicle either at the right side or left side of the regular plate. As such, the regular plate shall be maintained in the space provided for the purpose. Removal thereof shall be deemed a violation of this order. No commemorative plate shall be installed at the rear of a motor vehicle. Placing the commemorative plate at the rear of a motor vehicle shall be strictly prohibited and penalized accordingly.”
I have no quarrel against this new ruling. Actually I feel that it should have been issued as soon as the “color-coding” scheme of the MMDA was implemented to have an even playing field for everyone. It’s common knowledge that having a commemorative plate gives one undue advantage as it hides the regular plate at the front of the vehicle and therefore would make it difficult for traffic enforcers to immediately determine whether you should be out of the road or not.
My only concern is whether this new ruling was given ample publicity and a given period long enough for motorists who have such plates to know the new order regarding installation and implement the changes. If not, such deficiency could be a cause for harassment and eventually extortion by unscrupulous traffic enforcers who would take advantage of the motorists’ ignorance of the new rule.
I’m sure this new regulation would take a lot of attraction from these commemorative plates especially to those who cherish them as a way of getting around the MMDA’s “color-coding” scheme.