The DOTr recognizes that the shortage of plastic cards used by the LTO to print driver’s licenses is a real problem for the motoring public. With the submission of bids for card suppliers set on May 24, 2023, the fact remains that licenses need to be printed, regardless. While waiting for the winning bidder, the possibility of outsourcing printing is being considered by the Department of Transportation.
DOTr Secretary in talks with National Printing Office
Photo: DOTr
The DOTr is exploring the possibility of government-to-government procurement of license cards. With three weeks left before a winning supplier bid is even found, the capability and capacity of other government agencies may be tapped just to keep up with the continuous demand for licenses. It is, without a doubt, an urgent need, and Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista is talking to the National Printing Office (NPO) Director about their technical capability to supply the cards.
Photo: LTO
In the interim, Secretary Bautista had an “exploratory” meeting with the NPO Director where they looked at possible scenarios and circumstances should their (NPO) services be required. Likewise, Bautista is also engaged in talks with the APO Production Unit for the same purpose.
Before one or either of these agencies’ help is “employed” by the DOTr, the Central Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) will require further details before an arrangement between the agencies can be finalized through a Memorandum of Agreement, as required under existing laws, rules and regulations.
As it stands, the Central BAC has ongoing bidding, which they described as “competitive”, for who will supply the plastic cards used for licenses. They have set the deadline for submission and opening of bids on May 24, 2023.
The LTO has cleared the reason behind the apparent shortage, and in a nutshell, it was due to a Special Order that was issued by the DOTr on procurement amounts. While there is a solution being contemplated, we are again faced with the red tape that is that the “BAC will require further details before an arrangement between the agencies can be finalized through a Memorandum of Agreement, as required under existing laws, rules and regulations”.
If this is, indeed, seen as being that urgent, and if there is a clear lapse that resulted in the inconvenience of the motoring public, perhaps it’s things like this that can be circumvented in order to provide a real, legal, and dare we say the quick solution for everyone’s benefit.
We commend all the efforts, but things like this are clearly avoidable. Do better, we humbly ask.
