A sports utility vehicle (SUV) was questioned for driving around with what appeared to be an American license plate in Bacolod City.
Facebook page Parkeserye, which uploads reader-submitted posts showing “road indiscipline,” shared a photo of a Toyota Fortuner with a foreign license plate spotted in Bacolod City.
The license plate was marked “TEXAS” with the plate number DC6 W335.
Texas is a state in the United States of America.
The SUV also had stickers of the American flag.
“Fortuner with an American license plate (Texas) driving from Corazon Locsin Montelibano Hospital along Lacson St. in Bacolod City,” the page said.
The photo drew attention from followers, with some suggesting that the SUV be reported to the Land Transportation Office (LTO), which is responsible for registering vehicles and issuing license plates.
“Show cause order sa LTO,” a Facebook user commented.
“Colurum, imbento lamang ‘yan… dapat i-report sa LTO ‘yan, o sa C.H.P.G. Unauthorized plates o illegal plates ang kaso niyan, kung makita ‘yan, ico-confiscate ang plaka na ‘yan…” another wrote.
“Hindi naman import from US ‘yan kasi walang Fortuner model dito. Mayabang lang may-ari [nyan], nag-uwi ng US plate number, sinalpak habang wala pa original plate number,” a different Facebook user speculated.
“Wala naman Fortuner dito sa US, binili lang sa Divisoria ‘yang plate number na ‘yan, fake ‘yan,” another Pinoy said.
“Pwede ba ‘yan dito sa Pinas?” one asked.
Another Pinoy shared a screengrab of an online seller offering replica American license plates, suggesting that the plate on the SUV could be a replica.
License plates serve as proof that a vehicle has been properly registered and is allowed to be used on public roads.
They are crucial for official identification, enabling authorities to monitor vehicles and ensure compliance with traffic rules and regulations. These plates also act as a primary identifier in the event of vehicle theft or loss.
The Land Transportation and Traffic Code states that motorists “shall display in conspicuous places” their license plates at the front and rear parts of the vehicle.
Motorists may be penalized if they are caught driving “with delinquent, suspended or invalid registration, or without registration or without the proper license plate for the current year.”
A Philippine license plate features a white background with no other design elements, except for the vehicle’s plate number, which is usually in black ink.
The plate number includes the alphanumeric characters for vehicle identification, regional prefixes, and specific designs based on vehicle type, such as private, public utility, or government use.
The format for a private vehicle features three letters and four numbers, such as ABC 1234.