Driver’s licenses with five-year validity out in Region 7 this month

CEBU, Philippines — Starting this month, the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas will start releasing driver’s licenses with five-year validity, the agency’s top official said yesterday.

LTO-7 Director Alita Pulga, however, said this can only be done once a secure internet connection has been installed at their office.

For now, the regional office is still waiting for the delivery of PVC pipes for the installation of fiber optic internet connection.

Pulga said once the internet connection is ready, the computers from their head office will be transported in Cebu, which will then be used to prepare the new cards.

“Ang internet connection na lang gyud ang kuwang. Once ma-install na ang internet, within this month magsugod na mi og hatag sa mga cards sa driver's license with five-year validity,” she told The FREEMAN.

The Department of Transportation-LTO has rolled out such driver’s licenses in the National Capital Region.

Pulga said that for Region 7, there will be more than 20 machines that will be used for the printing of the driver's license plastic cards.

The machines will be put up in all licensing centers and extension offices of LTO-7 in the region.

Currently, LTO-7 has a total backlog of 234,055 driver's license cards with five years validity for the period covering November 2016 up to July 2017. —/JMD (FREEMAN)