FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No,_ 1172

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Columnist Raul Pangalangan of the Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote that,
“In many ways, the real test for the government's political will to run after
warlords is its readiness to take on the petty cases of warlordism by aspiring
mafiosi on Manila’s roads. That is why vanity plates, or to be more precise, those
so-called commemorative car plates identifying the car owner as a PNP officer or
as a PMA alumnus or as “Lawyer,” really gets my goat’.

This statement is very telling. Commemorative plates, although not as
blatant as sirens or wang-wangs, also give the impression, to a lesser degree,
that the owner of the vehicle wants others to know that “I am better than you”. It
gives the subtle suggestion that the owner belongs to some privileged elite.

Also, these commemorative plates have some effect on “lowly” police
officers or traffic enforcers that they would look the other way and refuse to
apprehend traffic violators just because of what is on the commemorative plates,
for instance, “AFP” or “PNP-CIDG" or “NBI". These commemorative plates have
been known to be used to evade traffic laws like the Unified Vehicular Volume
Reduction Program of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Although there are legitimate commemorative plates that really honor an
event or a profession, these plates should be distinguished from other
commemorative plates and should not be used to escape the arms of the law.


The Land Transportation Office has already issued memorandums on the
guidelines on issuing and installing commemorative plates. However, to give
more teeth to these memoranda, it is earnestly requested that this bill be
immediately passed

;
Moy
RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ
Hie
MAXIMO B, RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No, 2172

AN ACT
REGULATING THE ISSUANCE OF COMMEMORATIVE PLATES AND
PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR ITS ILLEGAL USE

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The use of commemorative plates is hereby regulated and
restricted subject to the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 2. Definition. - A Commemorative License Plate (CLP) refers to one
piece of duly issued plate for commemorating historical events, legitimate
organizations and National Heroes valid for a limited period and installed at the
front portion of the Motor Vehicle.

SEC. 3. Issuance, sale and use of the following Commemorative License Plates
is hereby declared illegal:
1) Those that bear the names or logos of law enforcement
agencies, including but not limited to, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or
the Philippine National Police (PNP);

2) Those that bear a government position, including but not limited
to COUNCILOR, PROSECUTOR, SENATOR; or
3) Any other similar CLP.

It is also declared illegal to use fake or counterfeit CLP’s

SEC. 4. A CLP shall not be superimposed over the regular plates. The original
LTO-issued car plates must remain visible in the front and rear of the vehicle at
all times.

CLP’s shall be installed in front of a motor vehicle either at the right side or

left side of the regular plate as the regular plate shall be maintained in the space
provided for the purpose.


SEC. 5. It shall be prohibited to sell or distribute CLP’s without proper authority
from the Land Transportation Office.

SEC. 6. A CLP is not an exemption to any traffic laws, rules and regulations valid
and existing in the Philippines.

SEC. 7. Any person caught using a prohibited CLP shall be subject to
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months or a fine of not less than Fifty
Thousand Pesos or both.

‘Any person caught selling or distributing CLP's without the proper
authority shall be subject to a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos
(P50,000) or imprisonment for a period not lower than six (6) months or both.

SEC. 8, The Land Transportation Office is hereby directed to issue the necessary
rule and regulations to implement this Act and the proper list of authorized CLP's

SEC. 9, Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
and rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section or provision of this

Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall
not be affected thereby.

SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after its complete
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,