LTO consults the public on transfer of ownership issue
As an owner of a motor vehicle (MV) or motorcycle (MC), you may already know that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) issued an order that gives you 20 days to transfer the ownership of the vehicle to your name if you bought it as 2nd hand/used. The good news is that the LTO heard the people, and the agency has since suspended the order last October 23, 2024.
Since then, the LTO has been conducting a series of public consultations to make its future policies better and more inclusive, especially with regard to the Immediate Transfer of Ownership of an MV or MC.
With the invitation of Motorcycle Rights Organization’s Jobert Bolanos, MotoPinas.com was able to attend today’s public consultation about AO VDM-2024-046, and here are the major 6 takeaways from that meeting:
6-months moratorium
Should the “new and improved” Immediate Transfer of Ownership order be finalized and becomes a rule, the implementation will be delayed for 6-months to give way for the proper information dissemination, as well as to give way for the LTO to prepare its systems to make these transactions fast and efficient to its clients.
90-day processing
During the meeting, it was revealed that the 20-day processing time is just too short and unrealistic. With the suggestion from stakeholders representing the motorcycle community, including those in the MC taxi and delivery businesses; transport sector from the PUV and tricycle drivers and operators, the Transfer of Ownership must be done within 90 days upon the completion of the sale, transfer, or donation of the 2nd hand/used motor vehicle or motorcycle.
Penalties
The penalties will be uniform, regardless of the vehicle type, and should follow what are listed in the Joint Administrative Orders (JAO) of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), LTO, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and other applicable concerned government agencies.
No seller accountability
Part of the Immediate Transfer of Ownership order by the LTO is the requirement for sellers to report the sale of the 2nd hand/used vehicle to the LTO via an online platform. According to the representatives of the different stakeholders present, the seller should not be held accountable in any way if the new owner of the 2nd hand/used vehicle fails to transfer the ownership.
Amnesty
Our Constitution clearly states that No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted. That said, if the LTO imposes the “new and improved” Immediate Transfer of Ownership order, owners of 2nd hand/used vehicles that have not transferred their vehicle’s title under their names should not be penalized.
Enforcement to all types of vehicles
Motorcycle riders have always been the subject of unfair treatment with regard to law enforcement checkpoints. So, during the meeting, it was raised that should the Immediate Transfer of Ownership be re-implemented, the enforcement should cover all types of vehicles and not only motorcycles. As they say, “If it’s not applied to all, it should not apply at all.”
Please take note that these are suggestions from the various stakeholders present during today’s public consultation. The LTO may consider some or all of it, or may not consider any of it. In the meantime, let’s all hope for the best.
