It wasn’t this easy before…yet very legal

If you have owned a firearm at least for the past 10 years, you would know how easy or how difficult it is to have it licensed, depending on how you view life.

It can be so easy, you don’t even have to leave your office or home and in a few days (the number of days depends on how much you pay your fixer) you can have your license. That means you get your neuro and drug tests without having gone anywhere near Camp Crame or a clinic. But it can also be very difficult if you do the right thing and go through the legal route—depending on how you want to live your life.

Well, those days are gone. This I can confirm as a gun enthusiast who has seen the system transform from one that’s all screwed up and has been kept all screwed up for the benefit of these who make quite a lucrative livelihood out of the chaotic system to what it is now—a well thought of procedure and system.

My brother Rey, who’s a fellow Star columnist, and myself recently had a long talk with the present head of the FEO (Firearms & Explosive Office), Police Chief Superintendent Valeriano T. De Leon when we went to Camp Crame to personally renew our LTOPF (License To Own and Possess Firearms) and PTCOR (Permit To Carry Outside of Residence). During the conversation, the kind police general took the opportunity to present and explain to us the current fast and convenient online system to apply for or renew a LTOPF, which we understand was finally fully implemented during his watch.

Allow me to inform you of the very simple procedures for the information of those who still do not know that the old “fixer-prone” system is now a thing of the past.

For new LTOPF

First, the applicant is requred to create an account using a valid email address at www.feo-system.com by filling up the required electronic form then clicking on “Sign Up Now.” The applicant must them encode his/her details on the required fields and upload his/her latest digital photo.

A prompt will appear asking if the applicant already has an existing LTOPF. For a new applicant, choose “No, apply for new LTOPF.”

The applicant must also take a neuro psychiatric examination from the PNP Health Service and a drug test from the PNP Crime Lab stationed at One-Stop-Shop (OSS) or any accredited regional office capable of conducting the examination. The applicant must also create an online account before they are allowed to take the examination. The health service and crime lab are responsible for transmitting the results to the applicant’s online account.

After that, the applicant must upload scanned/captured requirements, and then click “submit.” If the requirements are complete and correct, click “proceed.”

The processor would review and evaluate the documents submitted. Upon verification that the submitted requirements are complete, correct and valid, the processor will accept the application for approval of the chief of the FLD.

Upon approval of the chief of the FLD, the system would forward the application for approval of the chief of the FEO.

Once approved, the system would generate the payment reference number which will be reflected on the applicant’s account.

The applicant must pay at any Land Bank of the Philippines branches, e-payment or recognized payment centers and upload the receipt to their personal account and set an appointment for actual evaluation.

Then, the applicant must bring all the documentary requirements uploaded and submit the copy of the receipt to the ILS section for actual evaluation and payment validation.

Finally, upon verification, the applicant must present their validated receipt at the ID production section for printing of the LTOPF card.

For renewal, the gun licensee applicant must sign into his/her account and click “select services.” Then he/she must choose transaction type “renewal” and select the processing branch of his/her choice then click “proceed.” Then the gun licensee applicant must go about the usual process of getting examined, submitting the needed requirements, paying for the fees and waiting for the actual evaluation and validation before getting the LTOPF card.

Gen. De Leon assured firearm owners from the provinces would soon also find the electronic system convenient when FEO satellite offices are put up all over the country to conduct the neuro and drug tests and other strictly “must appear” requirements prior to approval of a LTOPF.

To get more information about other procedures regarding firearms ownership like the transfer of firearm by sale or donation, renewing expired firearm license, etc., you can check the FEO’s Facebook page or its website (feo-system.com).

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.

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