MANILA — Senator Grace Poe expressed hope that opening more Land Transportation Office (LTO) district offices and regular licensing centers would serve more applicants and would mean faster transactions.
Poe, chair of the Senate public service committee, sponsored a number of bills seeking to create more LTO offices around the country, shepherded their passage, with six measures now enacted into law.
"Hindi na kailangang bumiyahe nang malayo ang ating mga kababayan para lamang kumuha ng driver's license o mag-renew ng lisensya nila. Less hassle na rin para sa kanila dahil mas iikli na ang pila at bibilis na ang transaksyon sa LTO (Our kababayans no longer need to travel far just to get a driver's license or to renew them. It would be less hassle for them because lines would be shorter and transactions at the LTO would be faster)," Poe said in a news release Thursday.
The six LTO measures she sponsored have been enacted into law converting licensing centers into regular offices or establishing new ones: Republic Act (RA) No. 11068 (San Pablo, Laguna), RA 11067 (Balayan, Batangas), RA 11066 (Batangas City), RA 11065 (Kawit, Cavite), RA 11063 (Malabon City), and RA 11062 (Muntinlupa City).
Poe, citing reports she received about the struggles of driver's license applicants regarding long queues in various LTO offices nationwide, added that there should be no "limited slots only" for fresh and renewal of license applicants.
"We are urging the LTO to streamline their process and accommodate more applicants for smoother and faster transactions. Hindi na pwede ang (It is no longer acceptable if it is) limited slots only," she said.
Previously, measures establishing new or converting LTO extension offices have been approved on third and final reading in the Senate, including those in San Pablo, Laguna; Balayan, Batangas; Malabon; Batangas City; Muntinlupa City; Kawit, Cavite; Medellin and Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; Ticao Island, Masbate, Narra and Brooke's Point, Palawan; Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur; Sipalay City, Negros Occidental; Valencia City, Bukidnon; and Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
A total of 26 bills seeking to expand smaller LTO licensing centers into regular district offices and establish additional licensing offices in the country have been approved.
Some eight measures have recently been approved on third and final reading in the Senate and just needs the President's signature to become laws. This number is expected to multiply as several measures are awaiting approval at the committee level and sponsored in plenary.
"These bigger and new LTO offices would help ease transactions because of the soaring number of registered vehicles every year," Poe added.
Poe is the main author of RA 10930, which extended the validity of driver's licenses to five years and further renewable for 10 years if the license holder has not committed any violation. (Senate PR)
