LTO confident with delivery of at least 5,000 Driver’s License Cards before July 24 SONA
The LTO has been on its toes and continues to push to resolve the shortage of plastic Driver’s License cards. From the extension of licenses’ validities to the recent launch of the Electronic Driver’s License (EDL), agency Officer-In-Charge ASec. Hector Villacorta announced that they are expecting at least 5,000 copies of driver’s license cards to be available before the President’s State of the Nation Address scheduled on July 24, 2023.
LTO supplier Banner Plasticard, Inc. capable of producing 15,000-30,000 cards per day
Photo: Land Transportation Office
In a press briefing held with the Media, Land Transportation Office (LTO) Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Hector Villacorta made the announcement that the agency expects at least 5,000 license cards to be printed by newly-awarded supplier Banner Plasticard, Inc.
“Just maybe 5,000 copies. The paper will surely out of date because the production of license cards will start with 15,000 to 30,000 plastic cards a day within 10 days and the promise is within 60 days they can make 1 million plastic cards so the issue of lack of supply for plastic cards will be history,” said Asec. Villacorta.
Photo: DOTr
He likewise clarified that the first batch of these newly printed plastic license cards will be allocated for Overseas Filipino Workers and new driver’s license applicants. “Actually ang nauuna is OFWs and Student Driver’s Permit that mature into Non-pro or Professional license [Actually, OFWs and Student Driver’s Permits that mature into a Non-pro or Professional license will be distributed first],” he added.
The confidence of the LTO is founded on what it sees as Banner Plasticard Inc.’s capability to produce 15,000 to 30,000 licenses per day. “I’ve seen the factory here in Pasig and they showed me that they can do 15,000 to 30,000 copies every day,” shared Villacorta.
In the interim, motorists can use their Electronic Driver’s License which they can (and must) access via their LTO LTMS account should they need to present their license to any deputized agents. On this new implementation and use of technology, Villacorta had this to say: “Napa-aga ‘yung launch [The launch was made earlier] because the IRR takes 15 days to take effect. But we just want to assure the public that things are getting back to normal and we have an additional form that is available, the virtual ID,” adding that the virtual ID will be advantageous to OFWs, who may use it as proof of their identification.
“Pwede rin ipakita ‘yung e-license [The e-license can also be shown] so we would have a memo to all enforcers that that should be accepted,” he further explained.
Are any of you, our readers, still waiting for your plastic Driver’s License card from the LTO? If you’re waiting for yours following a renewal, you’ll probably have to wait longer, but at least this is a little bit of a silver lining that you’ll likely get yours soon. In the meantime, do check your LTO LTMS account and make sure that your EDL is already available, just in case you might need it.
