MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has decided to extend the validity of soon to expire driver's licenses in a bid to appease angry motorists set to be affected by a supply shortage.
LTO chief Jay Art Tugade gave the announcement on Friday after a public backlash. The LTO official said on Friday that they will be issuing temporary driver's licenses printed on pieces of paper as plastic card supply are forecast to completely run out by the last week of April 2023.
Related Stories
"Many of our countrymen have already spoken. As a response to your suggestions, we are announcing that all driver's licenses set to expire by April 24, 2023 shall have their validity extended until Oct. 31, 2023," according to Tugade in Filipino during a video message released in the state-run PTV4.
"We, here at LTO, decided to do this because we no longer want to add to our motorist's hassle," he added.
Netizens earlier pointed out that having such an important document printed out in a flimsy medium, even if temporary, would contribute to its fast deterioration. The plastic card shortage is said to hit around 5.2 million motorists.
The LTO official earlier revealed to the media that the problem was a result of a department order they received in January, stating that all procurement involving P50 million and above should be conducted by the Derpartment of Transportation central office.
The proposed official receipt (OR) that accompanies the paper licenses are said to bear a unique QR code that law enforcers will use for authentication purposes. Motorists are ordered to present the OR to authorities should they be apprehended in the road.
The supply problem is reported to affect all LTO offices nationwide. However, some officies in the National Capital Region allegedly still have a few more plastic cards.
"We will continue to coordinate with the DOTr when it comes to the procurement process [of the plastic cards] that they are undertaking. Like you, and most of our people, we hope that they act fast on this issue," Tugade said.
"It is our duty here at the LTO to get rid of additional burdens to our motorists. Rest assured that we will actively listen and quickly act on public sentiment," he added.
It could be remembered that the government issued a similar temporary paper PhilSys ID cards on paper in 2022, after struggling to provide plastic identification cards to millions of registered Filipinos.