Driver’s license cards shortage to normalize by September, DOTr says

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced the driver’s license cards shortage will normalize by September. According to the government agency, up to 130,000 unissued cards are expected to be received by motorists.

Advisory from the LTO

It was in April 2023 when the Land Transportation Office (LTO) formally announced that there was a shortage of driver’s license plastic cards. In lieu of plastic cards, the agency rolled out temporary driver’s licenses printed on paper.

The first phase is to deliver 5,000 driver’s license cards to motorists before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24. Overseas Filipino Workers and new driver’s license applicants are slated to receive the plastic cards first.

The production of plastic cards is managed by Banner Plasticard, Inc. It aims to produce 15,000 to 30,000 cards daily within 10 days as part of its commitment to deliver one million cards in the next 60 days.

130,000 unissued cards are expected to be given to motorists

Meanwhile, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista clarified the DOTr and LTO’s forecast of up to 500,000 plastic card shortage was until October in response to the Memorandum Circular extending the validity of driver’s licenses until October 31.

The LTO also advised that an electronic driver’s license (eDL) can be used as a valid license to traffic enforcers. It can be accessed via the agency’s Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal.

“Siguro bandang August or September lahat ‘yan mabibigay na namin,” said DOTr Secretary Bautista. (Maybe around August or September, we can deliver those already)

The initial motor vehicle shipment has arrived

In similar news, the DOTr and LTO recently received at least 108,400 motor vehicle plates at the Plate Making Plant located in LTO Central, East Avenue, Quezon City. The supplier is committed to delivering a minimum of 60,000 MV plates weekly. Motorists who haven’t received their plates can follow LTO’s new format for temporary and improvised vehicle license plates.

Don’t miss the latest in the transport sector at Philkotse.com.