The Senate ratified Monday the amendments to the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act or the Doble Plaka law.

Penalties and fines have been lowered under the reconciled version of the bill.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor Ejercito, the principal author and sponsor of the amendments, said the amended law was a reflection of the governments willingness to listen and correct measures that may have unintended consequences.

The amended bill, now awaiting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.s approval, introduces significant changes to ease burdens on motorcycle owners while keeping public safety by removing the Radio Frequency Identification System (RFID) requirement.

While dealers must register motorcycles within five working days of sale upon the owners authorization, owners must report a sale or disposition within five working days.

New owners must transfer ownership within 20 working days from acquisition.

The Land Transportation Office must issue registration certificates within two working days of receiving all necessary documents, including a clearance from the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group.

Motorcycle dealerships must submit annual reports on the status of all repossessed motorcycles.

Under the ratified measure, the original harsh fines and imprisonment have been significantly reduced.

This will result in a maximum fine of PHP5,000, replacing the previous PHP20,000 to PHP50,000 and imprisonment.

Driving without a plate or readable number plate now carries a PHP5,000 fine, down from the previous maximum of PHP100,000.

Failure to report a lost plate within 72 hours is also penalized with a PHP5,000 fine, significantly lower than the original range of PHP20,000 - PHP50,000.

Use of a stolen number plate now carries a fine of PHP10,000 - PHP20,000, reduced from the previous PHP50,000 - P100,000 fine or prision mayor (six to 12 years imprisonment).

Tampering, forging, or covering number plates now leads to a six-month to two-year prison sentence and a PHP10,000 fine, a lighter penalty compared to the original six-year maximum imprisonment.

The LTO cannot confiscate motorcycles solely for failure to update registration, according to the measure.

Ejercito said the amendments address the concerns of the riding community, which previously condemned the law as discriminatory.

This is a message to all Filipinos: laws can be rectified when they prove to be unfair or impractical, and we in government are willing to listen, he said.

Under the revised bill, the LTO now has until June 30, 2026, to fully implement provisions on number plate issuance and compliance. Previously, the deadline was set for Dec. 31, 2019.

Ejercito expressed confidence that Marcos would sign the bill into law, bringing an end to the controversial policy.