How to Register a Vehicle That's Not In Your Name And Was Shipped From The Province with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) - Part 3

Well, it's been a year since I last registered my Suzuki Multicab (the one I bought from Don Soriano & Kevin Yao -- buyer beware!) Last year I had all sorts of problems because the vehicle was supposedly from Cebu and therefore kinda complicated.  Read about it in my related posts.  Anyway, a year later, I looked for Mang Jimmy again, who was the fixer that got the vehicle finally registered in LTO La Loma (Biak na Bato).  Hello PNOY!  Your LTO officials are corrupt.

Well today he was late.  I was there at 8 AM and waited until 8:30 AM.  If you know me, that's a long wait already.  So I figured I'd just take my chances and do this the legitimate way.  I asked an official there, a certain Kuya Ruben about the process.  He asked me to drive the vehicle over for an emissions test and then asked me to park the vehicle again.  In that process, several fixers jumped on the chance since Mang Jimmy was still nowhere in sight.  One of them even called him up and asked me to talk to him.  Well apparently, he was still in Nepa Q Mart.  He wanted me to wait for him.  Really now?  You're asking me to wait. 

I continued with the process and went inside because I heard some basketball commentary.  Yes, it was an old NBA all stars game.  Kuya Ruben then went over after a few minutes and told me to stop talking to fixers because they will all expect a P250 tip.  He then asked me for money for the insurance and he paid for it himself and then asked me to pay the registration fee in the counter.  If you haven't noticed yet, there are two remarkable things about that.  The LTO there had both an in-house insurance company and emissions testing.  Normally, you'd be asked to drive around to look for one (try LTO East Avenue).   Two thumbs up for convenience. 

After about half an hour, I was done.  I didn't have to bribe anyone.  How remarkable is that?   Two thumbs up for Kuya Ruben, although he didn't return my P10 change for the insurance.  If you're ever in the area and you want to look for Kuya Ruben, think about Jennifer Garner's father in Alias.  Ruben kinda looks like him.

As a footnote though, the name of the vehicle is still under Kevin Yao.  He was supposed to change that to mine last year!  Two thumbs down for Kevin Yao.  Don't deal with him if I were you.  One of these days I'll get around to changing the vehicle registration name.  Anyone know how that's done?

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