LTO issues show-cause order vs. 1,000 dealers

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued show cause orders (SCO) against 1,046 dealers in 2024 nationwide.

The orders were issued after these dealers failed to register their newly bought motor vehicles within the prescribed period.

The agency’s Citizen’s Charter mandates the registration of newly bought motor vehicles within seven days after the transaction is completed in motor vehicle dealerships.

 A total of 21 dealers issued with SCO were already fined after being found negligent during the investigation. Majority of these motor vehicle dealers were fined with P20,000; two were fined with P30,000; while five were fined with P100,000.

Aside from that, 80 were already submitted for resolution while the rest are still under investigation.

 LTO Chief Vigor D. Mendoza II had issued an instruction to expedite the resolution of all the cases involving violations of the registration of newly bought motor vehicles.

 “Unfortunately, there were some motor vehicle dealers which did not comply at the expense of their clients despite our repeated reminders of the need to strictly follow the rule,” Mendoza sai in a statement.

Mendoza added these dealers, instead, are blaming the LTO.

“Yung matindi dito ay yung ibang car dealers, sa kagustuhang magpalusot sa mga kliyente nila, ay ang LTO ang itinuturong may kasalanan. Hindi ito tama kaya we encourage our clients to file a complaint before us,” he added.

Mendoza said the intensified monitoring on the compliance of motor vehicle dealers is part of the instruction of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista to make all the transactions under the department fast and comfortable.