Question & AnswerQ&A (Act No. 3992)
The official title is the Revised Motor Vehicle Law.
Motor vehicles are all vehicles using the public highways propelled by any power other than muscular power, except road rollers, trolley cars, street sweepers, sprinklers, lawn mowers, rail or track vehicles, tractors, and agricultural traction engines.
The Director of Public Works is responsible for the administration of the law.
Classifications include private passenger automobiles, private trucks, private motorcycles, public utility automobiles, public utility trucks, taxis, garage automobiles, garage trucks, hire trucks, undertakers, dealers, and government vehicles, among others.
The deadline for renewing registration is on or before the last working day of February each year.
A fine of fifty pesos is imposed for operating a motor vehicle without proper number plates or tags, with delinquent, suspended, or invalid registration, or without registration.
Applicants must apply annually with a fee, provide necessary information, undergo sight and hearing tests, and possibly pass an examination or demonstration of driving ability.
For the first conviction, a fine of one hundred pesos and suspension of the chauffeur's license for three months; second conviction, fine of two hundred pesos and six months imprisonment; third conviction, one year imprisonment and permanent revocation of license.
Vehicles wider than one meter must have two lamps with white or yellowish light visible from the front, lighted half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise; headlights must be arranged to avoid glaring other persons.
Operators must stop immediately, show their chauffeur's license, provide true names and addresses of themselves and owners, and notify the nearest peace officer or police station.
Professional chauffeurs hired or paid to drive motor vehicles must be licensed, and when operating public service vehicles, they must carry and display a chauffeur's badge with a distinguishing number.
Number plates, licenses, badges, certificates, tags, or permits shall not be transferred, lent, sold, or used by unauthorized persons, except dealers' plates which may be used successively on vehicles in stock.
The speed limit for passenger cars on open country roads with no blind corners or nearby habitations is 70 kilometers per hour.
Imprisonment for not less than fifteen days nor more than six years upon conviction.
Municipal councils may prescribe reasonable regulations and fees for the conduct, control, and operation of garages and decide where vehicles may park on public streets, with certain restrictions to protect public service stations.