LTO to retain Stradcom IT system

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will continue using its old Stradcom information technology system instead of the new Land Transportation Management System, saying the LTMS has “persistent performance issues and unresolved service requests.”

Dermalog Identification Systems, the German firm that developed the LTMS with its local partners, said that LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II failed to justify his comments on the supposed performance issues of the LTMS.

In a series of memorandums dated Aug. 29, Sept. 27 and Oct. 2, Mendoza authorized the use of the Stradcom IT system to process and issue documents in LTO district and extension offices.

Mendoza said he created a technical working group to consolidate the LTMS with the LTO’s old IT system.

“By consolidating these two systems, I am confident that this would result in full utilization of a user-friendly online transaction process, which is what the LTO digitalization program envisions it to be,” he said.

Mendoza authorized the previous Stradcom system to process and issue documents similar to those under LTMS. A computer fee assessment is paid when using LTO-IT system of Stradcom.

Dermalog noted that the transacting public has saved almost P4 billion annually in computer fees since the full implementation of the 10-year driver’s license system as well as the motor vehicle registration renewal process using LTMS.

Dermalog says the company has been waiting for more than a year for the payment of past billings amounting to P200 million.

At least P1.2 billion was released to Stradcom to pay for past accounts.