To operate license centers: LTO-7 chief denies endorsing bizmen

CEBU, Philippines - The chief of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas has denied endorsing any group of stakeholders to operate the driver’s license renewal offices (DLROs) in commercial centers like malls.

Alita Pulga, LTO-7 acting chief, said the establishment of DLROs in malls does not need publication and competitive bidding.

Pulga was responding to the queries of the LTO stakeholders in Mandaue City led by Dr. Danilo Dionson relative to the opening of DLROs at Robinsons Fuente in Cebu City, JCentre Mall in Mandaue City and Island City Mall in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

The stakeholders asked “if entities involved in the transaction are the same people or companies who are cornering and monopolizing juicy places without the benefit of mandated notices.”

LTO has an existing memorandum of agreement with Robinsons Land Corporation to set aside a specific area inside selected Robinsons malls for DLROs.

The agreement was entered into between RLC president Frederick Go and LTO former assistant secretary Atty. Alfonso Tan Jr. in August 2015.

Pulga said the DLRO shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Department Order No. 2015-014 dated February 18, 2015, otherwise known as Revised Guidelines on the Establishment of DLROs and the Operation thereof, whereby commercial centers may apply for the establishment of DLROs in their respective establishments with the LTO.

Their applications shall be evaluated by the LTO Central Office Committee on Transfer and Creation of LTO offices whose body will in turn make recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.

Once approved, LTO’s assistant secretary and regional director, and the commercial center’s juridical entity will enter into an agreement.

“These processes are established in order to do away with speculations that the office might be entering a contract with a questionable or unverified person or entity,” Pulga said.

Citing the department order, Pula informed the LTO Mandaue stakeholders that publication and competitive bidding are no longer required since commercial centers who intend to put up an LTO office in their respective establishments would merely just submit their applications to the LTO Central Office for evaluation and appropriate action.

“Finally, we would like to inform you that the undersigned does not or have not made any favorable endorsement to any group or stakeholders whatsoever relative to the manner discussed above since the latter has always been following the rules and procedures set by the office,” Pulga added.

Dionson, on the other hand, asked Pulga copies of the department order, MOA between LTO-7 and three DLRC operators, letter of intent of DLRC operators, LTO-7 inspection report, and LTO staff names in each DLRC.

“Why it’s only you, HLO (drug testing center) and island City Mall know the existence of Department Order No. 2015-014 of Asec. Tan? Are you an honest public servant informing the rich DLRC operators of juicy places?” said Dionson in his reply to Pulga. (FREEMAN)