Is this finally the end of the driver’s license card shortage that has plagued the Land Transportation Office (LTO) this year?
The agency announced over the weekend that it had secured around four million plastic cards, which is “more than enough” to address the driver’s license printing and issuance backlog that goes back to April. The supply is also enough to cover new applications and renewals moving forward.
“So we would like to announce to our clients, to the Filipino people, na wala nang lisensyang papel! Balik-plastic na lisensya na tayo!” said LTO chief Atty. Vigor Mendoza II.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
ICYMI: One Ayala–SM Link, greener QC bike lanes, inDrive gets LTFRB accreditation
Explainer: What’s in a street name? This is how our roads get renamed in the Philippines
On top of this, the delivery of an additional 3.3 million plastic cards could finally push through if the injunction order against the LTO’s card supply deal with Banner Plasticard is lifted following the intervention of the Office of the Solicitor General. You may recall that a temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued against the supply deal in August, halting the printing and delivery of driver’s licenses. A brief reprieve came in September when the TRO lapsed, but a preliminary injunction was issued a month later, again pausing the delivery of plastic cards.
“Itong four million plastic cards na ito ay parang maagang pa-Pasko sa ating mga motorista na nagtiyaga sa lisensyang papel,” Mendoza said. “Hopefully, Valentine’s Day gift na rin sa ating mga kababayang motorista yun namang 3.3 million na plastic cards na hindi natuloy yung delivery dahil sa injunction.
“Kaya sa pagpunta ng ating mga kababayan para mag-apply at mag-renew ng kanilang driver’s license, hindi na sila mangangamba na baka ang ma-issue sa kanila ay papel na lisensya. Wala na po yan, lahat ay magkakaroon na ng plastic na driver’s license.”
The last time the LTO was able to secure a sizeable supply of plastic cards, it implemented an adjusted renewal schedule to manage the influx of applicants at its offices and renewal centers. This was modified in October, when the injunction order was issued; as of the current schedule, driver’s licenses that expired in June 2023 are up for renewal this month. We’ll keep you posted should there be further announcements from the agency.
