Tugade: Drivers with expiring licenses need not visit LTO

MANILA, Philippines — There is no need for drivers to visit the Land Transportation Office to extend the validity of their licenses amid a shortage in the supply of plastic driver’s license cards, LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said yesterday.

In a radio interview, he said the LTO has briefed concerned agencies, traffic enforcers and tollway operators on the extension of the validity of driver’s licenses until Oct. 31.

“We conducted a briefing last week with the Philippine National Police, Highway Patrol Group, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, representatives from toll operators like North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway. We also issued a memorandum address to different traffic enforcement units, agencies and government bodies,” Tugade said.

He earlier announced that there are only 147,000 plastic cards left for driver’s licenses nationwide and this supply will be reserved for overseas Filipino workers.

Motorcycle plate backlog

Meanwhile, Tugade also admitted that the LTO still has a backlog on license plates for motorcycles from 2017 onwards.

“One reason for the backlog is the change in the plate design. We have the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act requiring bigger, readable and color-coded plates,” he said.

Tugade added that Congress has allocated funds for the procurement of the license plates by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

“We are continuously coordinating with the DoTr to procure the plates,” he added.

He said that the LTO plans to address 80 percent of the backlog for motorcycle plates this year.

According to Tugade, for four-wheeled vehicles, the backlog remains for those needing replacement.

“These are the green and white plates that need to be converted,” he said.

Tugade noted that in January, the DoTr issued a department order instructing all its attached agencies that the procurement of P50 million and above will be conducted by the DoTr central office.