Title
Regulating gov't motor vehicle plate numbers
Law
Executive Order No. 374
Decision Date
Feb 5, 1960
Executive Order No. 374 amends the assignment of reserved registration plate numbers for various high-ranking officials of the Philippine government, ensuring proper identification for government vehicles.
executive order
administrative law
motor vehicle

Legal basis and relationship to EO 287

  • Executive Order No. 374 amends Paragraph No. 4 of Executive Order No. 287 dated February 6, 1958.
  • Executive Order No. 374 amends Paragraph No. 5 of Executive Order No. 287 by adding a reserved plate category for Commanding Officers of the United States Air and Naval Forces in the Philippines.
  • Executive Order No. 374 amends Paragraph No. 6 of Executive Order No. 287 by changing the rule on the number of plates assignable to entitled officials.

Reserved plates for Philippine officials

  • Paragraph No. 4(a) of Executive Order No. 287 is amended and assigns reserved registration plate numbers to officials of the Philippine Government.
  • Plate numbers 1 through 31 and many subsequent sub-numbered plate ranges (including formats such as 6-A, 6-B, 7-A, 8-A, and so on) are assigned to enumerated officials, including:
    • Plate No. 1 for the President of the Philippines.
    • Plate No. 2 for the Vice-President of the Philippines.
    • Plate No. 3 for the President of the Senate.
    • Plate No. 4 for the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    • Plate No. 5 for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
    • Plate No. 6 for the Executive Secretary and related sub-assignments for designated Cabinet and other officials (including 6-A to 6-T, and additional listed sub-plate numbers through 6-AG).
    • Plate No. 7 for the President Protempore of the Senate with sub-assignments (including 7-A for the Majority Floor Leader of the Senate).
    • Plate No. 8 for the Speaker Protempore of the House of Representatives with sub-assignments.
  • Plate No. 6-B is assigned to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, 6-C to the Secretary of Finance, 6-D to the Secretary of Justice, and continuing enumerated assignments are established for other named officials up to 6-AG.
  • Plate No. 30 establishes a set of reserved numbers for allocation by the Office of the President, and continued reserved allocation plate structures are likewise created in later entries (including 30-A/30-A 1, 2, etc., and other groupings such as 43-J, 44- structures, 66, and 75 through higher ranges as enumerated).
  • Paragraph No. 4(a) also provides a mechanism for allocation to officials not specifically assigned reserved plate numbers, under the WAPCO salary-range condition described in Paragraph No. 4(c).

Reserved plates for city and provincial officials

  • Paragraph No. 4(b) assigns reserved plate numbers to officials of chartered cities and provinces, listing plate numbers and the corresponding local officials.
  • City officials are assigned plate numbers such as 201 for Vice-Mayor, 202 for Provincial Treasurer/city treasurer category entries as enumerated, 203 for City Councilors, and other enumerated officials for cities.
  • Provincial officials are assigned plate numbers such as Provincial Governor, Abra, etc. and Provincial Governor (Lt. Gov. in sub-provinces) with listed plate assignments for local officer titles.
  • The following enumerated local officer plate assignments are established in Paragraph No. 4(b):
    • City Mayor, Manila and equivalent “City Mayor etc.”
    • Provincial Governor, Abra, etc.
    • Provincial Governor (Lt. Gov. in sub-provinces)
    • Plate No. 201 for Vice-Mayor/Vice-Governor (201-A & B for Members, Provincial Board).
    • Plate No. 203 for City Engineer and Provincial Engineer.
    • Plate No. 204 for City Treasurer/Provincial Fiscal and Plate No. 205 for City Fiscal.
    • Plate No. 206/Superintendent of Schools and Superintendent of City Schools.
    • Plate No. 207 for Provincial Commander/Chief of Police.
    • Plate No. 208 for Provincial Health Officer/City Health Officer.
    • Plate No. 209 for City Public Service Officer/Provincial Auditor.
    • Plate No. 210 for City Assessor/Register of Deeds.
    • Plate No. 211 for Chief, Fire Department.
    • Plate No. 212 for City Auditor.
    • Plate No. 213 for Executive Judge, Municipal Court, with 213-A, B, C, etc. for Judges, Municipal Court.
    • Plate No. 214 for Secretary to the Mayor.
    • Plate Nos. 215 to 220 reserved for further allocation to City authorities.
    • Plate Nos. 221 to 250 reserved for allocation by the Office of President, and 211 to 250 reserved for further allocation to provincial authorities as enumerated.
  • Paragraph No. 4(b) includes reserved plate numbers for further allocation to local authorities, including plate blocks 215 to 220 for city authorities and plate block 211 to 250 for provincial authorities.

Assignment for other high-ranking officials

  • Paragraph No. 4(c) permits assignment of reserved registration plate numbers to other ranking officials in departments and bureaus and offices, including Government owned or controlled corporations, who are not specifically assigned plate numbers under the Order.
  • Paragraph No. 4(c) limits this additional assignment to officials whose WAPCO salary range is 55 or above.
  • Paragraph No. 4(c) requires that the official in fact occupies positions and discharges duties and responsibilities higher in category than the chiefs of divisions or other officials assigned plate numbers in the Order.
  • Paragraph No. 4(c) authorizes assignment in accordance with the pattern established in the Order.

Requirement of plate numbers for operation

  • Paragraph No. 4(d) prohibits operating any motor vehicle anywhere in the Philippines without a motor vehicle plate number duly issued by the Motor Vehicles Office.
  • Paragraph No. 4(d) states the requirement applies to all vehicles of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines.
  • Paragraph No. 4(d) clarifies that despite existing Philippine exemptions from registration fees under Philippine laws and/or treaty arrangements, United States Armed Forces vehicles are still required to obtain the necessary motor vehicle plate number from the Motor Vehicles Office for purposes of identification.

One plate per entitled official

  • Paragraph No. 6 is amended to limit the number of registration plate numbers that may be assigned to each entitled official.
  • Under the amended Paragraph No. 6, not more than one registration number plate may be assigned or issued to any official entitled under the enumeration.
  • Paragraph No. 6 creates specific exceptions allowing more than one registration number plate for: the President of the Philippines, Vice-President of the Philippines, President of the Senate, Speaker of House of Representatives, members of the Cabinet, Auditor General, members of the Congress of the Philippines, Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, and Presiding Justice and Associate Justices of the Court of Appeals.

Additional U.S. forces command plates

  • Paragraph No. 5 of Executive Order No. 287 is amended by adding a new category for Commanding Officers of the United States Air and Naval Forces in the Philippines.
  • The added category includes plate entries: (132) Commanding Officers, US Air and Naval Forces in the Philippines and a corresponding listing that includes (131) as part of the numbering structure as enumerated.

Effectivity date

  • Executive Order No. 374 takes effect on January 1, 1960.

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