Policy and purpose of uniform plate system
- The Order establishes a uniform system for registering motor vehicles and assigning motor plates to official vehicles used by Philippine government officials and duly accredited representatives of foreign states in the Philippines.
- Vehicle use covered by the uniform system is intended to be clearly identified through official plate assignments and markings.
- Vehicle use is intended to be limited to official business for covered government vehicles.
Coverage: who must register vehicles
- All motor vehicles purchased or owned by any department, bureau, office, division, branch, or unit of the Government must be promptly registered in the Motor Vehicles Office.
- The registration requirement includes motor vehicles owned or purchased by any agency or instrumentality of the Government.
- The registration requirement also covers motor vehicles of corporations owned and controlled by the Government.
- Government vehicles must bear official registration number plates at all times.
Official plate markings and permitted use
- Covered government vehicles must bear official registration number plates plainly marked with the official designation, and bearing the government shield.
- The use of covered government vehicles is strictly limited to official business.
- Motor vehicles used for special purposes may be assigned ordinary high private registration number plates only with the written approval of the President of the Philippines.
- Only the following vehicles may bear distinguishing flags, stars, and emblems: vehicles assigned to and used by the President of the Philippines, Vice-President of the Philippines, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief of Justice of the Supreme Court, Chief of Staff and General Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Chiefs of foreign diplomatic missions in the Philippines.
Plate standards and local government plate sets
- Motor vehicle number plates must be uniform in size and color.
- Motor plate numbers must be numbered consecutively.
- No identification markings of any kind may be placed on motor vehicle number plates.
- Provincial Governors must be allocated one set of number plates each bearing the words “GOVERNOR” and underneath the name of the province.
- City Mayors must be allocated one set of number plates each bearing the words “CITY MAYOR” and underneath the name of the chartered city.
Reserved and assigned plate numbers (officials)
- The Order reserves and assigns registration plate numbers to officials of the Philippine Government, using the specific reserved numbers and series enumerated in the Order.
- Reserved numbers must follow the allocation limits stated in the enumerations, including plates “Reserved to be allocated only by the Office of the President.”
- Seniority-based assignment for certain legislators is governed by the enumeration: Senators are assigned according to seniority by the President of the Senate.
- Multiple plate series may be used for categories using lettered and numbered sub-assignments (e.g., “6-A”, “7-B, 7-C, etc.”, “8-Abra, 8-Agusan, 8-Albay, etc.”), as enumerated.
Diplomatic and UN plate prefixes and prior authority
- Diplomatic and consular representative plates must be assigned using a specified prefix-letter system and color standard.
- Diplomatic and consular plate color is white background with black numerals, and numbers must be prefixed with the letter system described in the Order.
- Plate prefixes are assigned through prior written authority from the Department of Foreign Affairs in all cases.
- Plate prefixes are:
- “CMa” for “Chief de Mission”,
- “CDa” for “Corps Diplomatique”,
- “UNa” for “United Nations”, and
- “CCa” for “Consular Corps”.
- Plate assignments for diplomatic, United Nations, and consular representatives are enumerated with fixed number series, including (by way of example from the enumerations) CMa101 for Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, UNa161 for Regional Director for the Western Pacific, WHO, and CCa163 for Dean of the Consular Corps.
Limitation on plates per official and government control
- No more than one registration number plate shall be assigned or issued to any official entitled to plates under the enumerations.
- The one-plate limitation does not apply to the President of the Philippines, Vice-President of the Philippines, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
- Members of the Congress of the Philippines may be assigned not more than two (2) sets of registration plates for motor vehicles duly registered in their names as their personal property.
- The assignment or transfer to unauthorized persons of reserved automobile number plates by government officials entitled thereto is strictly prohibited.
- Violation of the strict prohibition is sufficient cause for the withdrawal of the corresponding plate number.
- Diplomatic and consular representative plate assignment is governed by prior written authority from the Department of Foreign Affairs in all cases.
Prohibitions, revocations, and effective date
- Reserved automobile number plates are governed by the prohibition against assignment or transfer to unauthorized persons, and unauthorized dealing triggers withdrawal.
- All executive orders, department orders, rules, or regulations on the same subject matter treated by the Order are revoked.
- The Order takes effect as of January 1, 1958.