50,000 unclaimed driver's licenses pile up at the Manila traffic bureau

About 50,000 licenses of drivers who violated traffic regulations in Metro Manila are piled at the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau form 2004 to 2019, according to a report of Marisol Abdurahman on Stare of the Nation with Jessica Soho.

Instead of redeeming the confiscated licenses, drivers opted to file for a new license.

A driver can apply for a new license in the old process, traffic violations are not immediate forwarded  to the Land Transportation Office.

"Ginagawa ng iba 'pag malak penalty o d kaya minsan di nila natubos ng takdang panahon magkakaroon ng interes yun o penalty. Mas gugustuhin nilang mag affidavit of loss, mas mura ho kasi," said Dennis Viaje, Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau director.

But there is a new procedure in place. All traffic violations will now be encoded and reported immediately to the LTO.

"'Pag nag renew sila, mag a-appear na meron pa ho silang lisensya dito na hindi pa nila natutubos. Yan ho ang malaking problema nila ngayon lalo na yung nag affidavit of loss," Viaje explained.

These drivers, however, may avail of the amnesty offered by the City government for traffic violators and whose licenses were confiscated from 2004 up to the present.

They can get their license after they pay the fine attached to the traffic violation they committed.

Viaje said drivers, under the amnesty, do not have to pay for the penalties as some already reached up to P100,000. — BAP, GMA News