House urged to make LTO explain shortage of plastic driver's license cards
MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Bernadette Herrera (Bagong Henerasyon party-list) is asking the House of Representatives to investigate what the Land Transportation Office described as a "shortage" of plastic cards for drivers’ licenses, a development that has led to temporary licenses printed on paper.
Herrera said Thursday she has filed a resolution urging the appropriate House panel to look into the alleged shortage, which has led the LTO to issue temporary licenses printed on paper.
"We want to know specifically and in detail where during the procurement process the Land Transportation Office keeps encountering problems over and over again," she said in a statement.
She added, "We will welcome suggestions from the LTO and the Department of Transportation on what changes can be made to the procurement process by removing unnecessary documents and stages."
Herrera said she also wants the probe to hold accountable those who were “incompetent, negligent and grossly negligent.”
"If they are not the right fit for their jobs, then maybe they could be transferred to positions, roles, or offices which are not critical as the procurement process," she said.
Senate public services panel chairperson Sen. Grace Poe scored the LTO for its "notorious reputation of delivering short of what is expected," citing previous issues with motorcycle and car plates.
"Thorough planning and estimation might help the LTO be up to date with its requirements. It can't always tell our people to rely on DIY and band-aid measures, which pose security risks and are prone to abuse," Poe said in a statement.
She added, "We ask the LTO to give the public a complete report on its backlog on vehicles plates and license cards to give a complete picture of the issues it is facing."
LTO chief Jay Art Tugade announced last week that they were running out of plastic cards for drivers’ licenses, which he said was due to a department order they received in January which stated that all procurements worth at least P50 million should be done by the central office of the Department of Transportation.
Instead of plastic cards, the LTO said it will be issuing printouts of the official receipts of drivers’ licenses which would bear a unique QR code that law enforcers can use for validation.
Tugade said the inventory of plastic card licenses is forecast to completely run out by the last week of April 2023.
The office is also at risk of running out of license plates by as early as June. — Xave Gregorio with reports from Cristina Chi and James Relativo
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