By Clarist Zablan
(April 24, 2023) – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Monday said it wanted to handle the procurement of drivers’ license cards to avoid a shortage problem, taking the job back from the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said it would be better if his agency would buy the materials for producing driver’s licenses because it has the technical know-how and direct involvement in its production.
“Previously, wala namang problema with the procurement of licenses – nagkaproblema lang noong naiba po yung bibili bigla ng driver’s license,” Tugade said on CignalTV’s One PH channel’s program “One Balita Pilipinas.”
LTO is still waiting for the DOTr to complete the procurement process of the plastic cards, which is expected by July, he said.
Tugade had said LTO had decided to issue temporary driver’s licenses printed only on bond paper after the office faced a shortage in plastic cards.
The LTO chief blamed the DOTr, which issued an order in January stating that all government procurement contracts of at least P50 million should be handled by the transportation department’s central office.
The LTO also anticipated a shortage in vehicle plates by June or July, said Tugade.
“Moving forward po, siguro talagang mas maganda kung ang magpo-procure o bibili ng drivers license ay yung ahensya na mayroon technical competence, yung ahensya na may technical know-how, at yung ahensya po na nagma-manage ng drivers license which is LTO,” he said.
LTO has also extended the validity of driver’s licenses that are set to expire on Monday to October 31, saying they no longer want to “add to our motorist’s hassle.”
The transportation department said it is currently in talks with the budget department’s Government Procurement Policy Board – Technical Support Office to expedite the purchase of driver’s license cards to address “LTO’s failure to undertake early procurement activities.”
“DOTr hopes to procure enough license cards before supply runs out and while the TOR (terms of reference) is being remedied so the bidding for supply of license cards can proceed,” the department said in a statement last Thursday.
Senators Grace Poe and Bong Go have urged transportation authorities to urgently resolve the reported shortage of plastic cards for drivers’ licenses to resolve the inconvenience faced by motorists due to this problem.
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