LTO: 5,000 driver’s license cards to arrive before Pres. Marcos’ SONA

The Land Transporation Office (LTO) announced that 5,000 driver’s license plastic cards will arrive before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) next week.

Advisory from LTO

The arrival of new driver’s licenses addresses the shortage of plastic cards. When the shortage was announced earlier this year, motorists were given a temporary driver’s license printed on paper.

Banner Plasticard, Inc. has been tasked to produce the plastic cards. It aims to make 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. The new cards will be distributed to Overseas Filipino Workers and new driver’s license applicants first.

“Just maybe 5,000 copies. The paper will surely [be] out of date because the production of license cards will start with 15,000 to 30,000 plastic cards a day within 10 days and the promise is within 60 days they can make one million cards so the issue of lack of supply for plastic cards will be history,” said LTO Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Hector Villacorta.

The LTO is addressing the driver's license shortage issue

Electronic copies of licenses are also now up on the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal. The e-licenses can be used as a valid driver’s license to traffic enforcers. Not only does this provide a solution to the current plastic card shortage but also aids the government agency’s digitalization project.

Part of the digitalization project is the use of handheld devices. The device can generate an electronic temporary operator’s permit (E-TOP) in lieu of physical tickets, reducing the risk of corruption. In instances where the devices cannot go online, enforcers can revert to issuing tickets manually.

President Marcos’ second SONA will be happening on July 24, 2023. It should also mark the end of plastic card shortage woes as Asec. Villacorta saw and attested the production capabilities of Banner Plasticard, Inc’s factory in Pasig.

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