Grace Poe: More LTO offices set up nationwide

MANILA, Philippines — The long lines at the Land Transportation Office are expected to be reduced with the opening of new LTO offices around the country, Sen. Grace Poe said yesterday.

Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public services, said six new laws have been enacted, converting licensing centers into regular LTO district offices and establishing new ones in San Pablo, Laguna; Batangas City; Balayan, Batangas; Kawit, Cavite; Malabon City and Muntinlupa City.

“Now there is no need to travel far to get your driver’s licenses or to renew them. There would also be shorter lines now and the transactions would be faster,” she said.

Poe said that there should be no reason for LTO offices to say there are limited slots for the renewal of licenses, which has been a complaint of many motorists.

“We are urging the LTO to streamline their process and accommodate more applicants for smoother and faster transactions. We cannot have these limited slots only anymore,” she said.

A total of 26 bills seeking to expand smaller LTO licensing centers into regular district offices and establish additional licensing offices in the country have been approved. 

Eight of them have been approved on third and final reading in the Senate and just need President Duterte’s signature to become laws. 

The rest are being taken up at the committee level and should be brought to plenary for debates soon.