LTO releases first batch of driver's licenses with 5-year validity

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Tuesday started issuing the first batch of driver's licenses with five-year validity.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, who graced the ceremonial roll-out, was among those who received the new driver's licenses.

LTO chief Edgar Galvante walks through Sec. Tugade on the process of renewal and claiming of license cards pic.twitter.com/2BL6lMyPrh

— Marlly Bondoc (@marllybondoc) August 29, 2017

Tugade said that he only took eight to nine minutes to get his license.

Sec. Tugade says it took him 8-9 minutes to get his driver's license with 5-year validity pic.twitter.com/J5KZnPssCa

— Marlly Bondoc (@marllybondoc) August 29, 2017

LTO chief Edgar Galvante said their main office will cater to all applicants who will either renew or get a new driver's license.

"Sa ngayon yung mga nag-aapply na bago at tsaka yung magrerenew na due ngayon and onwards, 'yun ang mabibigyan," Galvante told reporters.

"Ang average kasi namin dito is around 300 to 400 daily kaya as they come to renew or apply for a new license at the end of the process license card na mai-issue sa kanila resibo at license card," he added.

The LTO started accepting applications for the driver's licenses with five years validity in October 2016 through its Administrative Order No. 2016-34. However, it was released in a form of paper receipts.

Meanwhile, Galvante admitted that the LTO still has a backlog of 3.6 million application for driver's licenses, which will be processed on September.

"But a week after yung backlog sa NCR uumpisahan na nating issuehan...one week after iaannounce namin ito para yung schedule nila 'yun ang pupuntahan nila kasi ayaw naman nating magdagaaan dito pagkatapos magki-create ng napakahabang pila," he said.

"Ngayon yung susunod Region 3, Region 4-A, Region 11, ito in the middle of September uumpisahan na rin natin yung pag-i-issue. Then the rest of the country sometime October," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte on August 2 signed into law the bill extending the validity of all driver's licenses up to five years, except for student permits.

According to Republic Act No. 10930, non-professional drivers with no record of violations will be entitled to a 10-year renewal. — ALG/RSJ, GMA News