When you drive your own car in the Philippines, but also when someone visits this country, you might notice that several cars have double license plates. Usually a foreign plate and a local plate on top.
Having something IMPORTED is very important in the Philippines. Not only for cars, but for a lot of other items too. (read my post about Pasalubong HERE)
When you are migrating to the Philippines and like to bring your car, it is possible but probably not worth it because the import taxes are very high, not to mention the high transport costs by ship. Even if your car is already several years old, they tax you for the original value as if the car is brand new.
You can see those double plates also on cars strictly produced for the local market.
I have been wondering if those people have their car realy imported or where those people got those plates.
I think that most of those people like to show off that they have ‘some money’. They do that in a subtile way by just using foreign licence plates on their car.
Many Filipinos have some family in America or Europe. Could be that they ask them to send foreign plates.
Just a few days ago I have visited a fair in Manila, where it is possible to buy a lot of gift items from all over the world. In one of those shops I have found the answer: someone is importing those license plates from Europe and sells them on the Philippine market. If all plates are from Germany, like it is stated on the picture, I am not so sure. Although they seem real to me, I think that most of the shown plates on the pictures are from countries of the former East European countries (Including the former East Germany).
Might be a good idea to ask my family to send me some Dutch license plates. Maybe that’s a way to make some extra money here … 
Filipino time:
You are right, these are German plates but most of them are or were temporary plates valid for only 5 days to transfer the cars from one place to another. thats the ones with the yellow datestamp. How much do they sell them?
Klaus,
I do not know how much they are sold here.
Maybe something to import the better plates and start a business yourself?
I have noticed the underlay of these plates but did not realize they were actually foreign number plates. I have seen similar things done with a special Masonic underlay and assumed these were like that. I did wonder why some of these had the EU symbols on them. Now I know.
While on number plates I have noticed that all the Filipino plates have “Philippines” on them as if one might forget what country they are in. I think it would be better to have provincial plates which would help reduce the car theft.
Hi Christopher,
Thanks for visiting my website and leaving some comments.
I am from europe myself. so I recognized the plates immediately. Most of them are German. As you can read in one of the comments they are temporary plates, used only for a very short time.