The Land Transportation Office is currently using temporary drivers’ licenses made up of cardboards instead of the plastic cards issued to those applying for new or renewed ones beginning this week.
For so many years, the LTO’s license card printing was contracted to AMPI or Amalgamated Motors Philippines, Inc. until recently when a new contractor won the bidding, explained Alberta Janine Lawas, chief of the LTO-Bayawan extension office in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
The new contractor is All Cards Philippines, who is set to distribute an initial batch of driver’s license card printing machines this month, Lawas added.
According to Lawas, AMPI was mandated earlier to stop the production of licenses already and in fact, were told to pull out their equipment and personnel from the different LTO district and extension offices and license centers.
While AMPI already stopped the printing of the plastic driver’s license cards, its successor has not yet taken over the task, disclosed Lawas.
The new bid winner was set to start its contract with LTO effective last week and with about 280 plus printing machines as initial batch to be distributed nationwide, she further disclosed.
However, it was not immediately known which LTO district and extension offices and license centers catering to the application of driver’s licenses shall be given priority, a concerned Lawas went on to say.
During a recent meeting at the LTO regional office in Cebu, it was learned that LTO could not give out a list of the prioritized district and extension offices and license centers to receive the new printing machines, she added.
Definitely, the more than 200 printing machines are not sufficient for all LTO offices in the country, Lawas said.
The distribution of the new printing machines will be based on the previous production of or demand for driver’s license in the different LTO offices, she pointed out.
Lawas lamented that in her case, the LTO Bayawan extension office will certainly not be in the priority list for the new printing machines as they are only allowed to issue renewal or duplicate licenses unlike other LTO offices that accept new applications.
The LTO Bayawan extension office has for its coverage area Siaton, Sta. Catalina, Bayawan City and Basay in Negros Oriental, although adjacent areas like Hinoba-an and Sipalay in Negros Occidental come to their office for transactions as it is nearer than going to Bacolod City, she pointed out.
The TDL (temporary driver’s license) to be issued by LTO for non-professional, professional and other types is the same as that of a student permit to drive, according to Lawas.
It was not immediately known how soon the new plastic cards will be released to the holders of a temporary driver’s license, depending on the availability of new printing machines from the LTO central office.
In the meantime, Lawas is hopeful that the public will understand the dilemma they are currently in, as they are not in control as to when they will receive a new printing machine for the plastic driver’s license cards. (PNA)
