When it was time to renew my auto registration last year in June, I took my car for its “Drug Test” (Smog Test) and it passed. I winced when they inserted the probe.
I next went to LTO (Land Transportation Office) and received my new Stickers. The following Sunday I had lunch and some cold SMB’s at a friend’s house, the next day I found that some vandal had destroyed my front LTO sticker on my tag (I should have had that tag protector installed). Foolishly I said, “No problem, I’ll just shoot over to the LTO and get a new one.” What the heck was I thinking? First, I was told about how serious this was.
“Did I know that someone could use that sticker, and that I would be the one to blame if bad things happened?” They explained. I was thinking, its only one sticker, if this nefarious person (not the word I used) did (if one could) place my sticker on his car, would the numbers match the other two stickers? Or would his tag number be the same as mine? But knowing where I was, and knowing whom I was dealing with, I kept my mouth shut.
The thing that makes me laugh is the people who place the stickers on the outside of their plastic tag protectors. Now, that you could steal, and place on a car with ease.
On my way to the Lawyers Office to procure my “Affidavit of Loss” letter” and spend the first of many Pesos! Five copies are required to satisfy the people at LTO. I return to the LTO, and am now informed I must take all this to the San Fernando, Pampanga LTO office, a one hour trip both ways, and give it to them. I informed the young man that just was not going to happen! “Sir, all our paperworks are sent there,” he informed me.
My question to him, “And just how does the paperworks get over there, Osmosis?” Could not the next time you send the paperworks to San Fernando, include mine in the heap? “Sir, transportation costs 300.00 Pesos!” He stated with a straight face. So I assume that all LTO paperworks stay in the office here in Olongapo City until a Kano pays for the trip? So I paid as it my right to do so.
Now for the best part, this is an excerpt from the “Affidavit of Loss Letter”, verbatim in classic local Lawyer speak!
“Unluckily for me, I discovered, to my aghast and consternation, that someone took the sticker offs my front tin plate of my car. I had no idea who took it, but I’m sure that it was taken for an evil purpose”
Remember I’m not the guy that composed the above!
While trying to keep a straight face at the local LTO office as they read the letter, I then spoke using the same verbiage noted above, which by the way, they seemed to understand, I paid the 300.00 Pesos and drove away. Was the problem solved? Yes, three weeks later I received all new stickers for the car and purchased a set of Plastic tag protectors. (I put the stickers on the tags (tin plate) not on the outside of the plastic.)
If you notice from the pictures, twice in my time here I was sans tag protection, lesson learned and I’ll never do it again. I promise!
If you can’t smile about it, head to the airport, we choose to live here, and it’s just the way it is!
Hi Paul – I’ll let you have the sticker back in about a week. Need it for some nefarious night-riding. 😆
Paul;
I’m driving North now with scraping tool in hand. I feel so violated (Not from the probe!)
The little registration sticker that goes on the corner of the plate. I take a razor, and slice it into many, many small pieces. That way the thief sees this, and leaves it alone. They will only get 1/50 of what they need………lol……i2f
And now you decide to pass on this great advice… (LOL)
paul k ,you should be ashamed !! i’m agast and constipated,(oops!!) i mean consternated,that you would do that to paul T ! you should have at least told him before he went to the LTO !! hahaha
Only needed it for a couple of nights. He wouldn’t have noticed had he not been out drinking the SMB the night before. Oh, wait a minute, I guess he would have noticed sometime during the week. 😆
Please provide a little more detail about the probe insertion. Hopefully there were some latex gloves and lubricant involved. NO PICTURES PLEASE!
Tom;
They used no lubricant, I think I saw the car shutter.
Hi Paul T
That used to be a problem here in Georgia, but the state makes it with the slice marks already in it so it will not come off in one piece. Good information on the tag protector. I guess the vandals don’t carry around a screw driver (or wrench) with them. Well maybe PaulK does.
Richard;
I tried to explain to the LTO and the Lawyer that it was a street urchin that did it, as that is what they do here. The tradition here is never remove any sticker from the car even and up to the point where you may no longer see through the windshield (The British call it a windscreen, I can’t figure why.) or cover the numbers completely on the “Tin Tag”.
We’re still waiting for our renewal stickers, I think the receipt is dated August – “out of stock” every time we inquire.
Gary;
As long as you have the receipt you’re legal, if not inconvenienced every time the LTO Police stop you and ask why.
Paul we call it a wnidscreen because it is a windscreen In the us you find trunks on a car in all other countries you find trunks on an elephant. How are you China.The lOT experience is a good example of what life can be like foe expats in Phil it can take a lot of getting use to. Some people cannot adapt hence bye bye Phil. But you my friend have solved the issue With a few smb in hand one can look at life from a less sressful view point and smile. Like your style Mr Thompson stress does not solve anything just puts us in an early grave.
Frank;
Does the windscreen shield you from the wind, or does it just keep the bugs out of your car? A trunk as in steamer trunk is where you store items for a trip. I’ll just assume that an elephant carries a change of clothes in its trunk. (LOL Frank)
You’re right Frank, pop a top and keep the stress to a minimum, if one can!