Poe wants review of LTO’s ‘chaotic' digitalization program

Senate Public Services Committee Chairperson Grace Poe on Friday urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to thoroughly assess its “chaotic” digitalization program so it can deliver efficient services to the public.

"Years in implementation and billions of money spent later, the Land Transportation Office's digitalization initiative leaves much to be desired," Poe said in a statement.

She noted that the LTO was still “plagued” with the same old problems: a slow, if not serviceable portal; long lines during application or renewal of licenses or registration; backlogs in license plates; and the recent issue of close to 700,000 plastic license cards shortage.

"These show the agency's digitalization plan is chaotic. Kumbaga sa computer software, nasa beta phase pa rin. Puro testing, hindi na umusad sa final implementation," she said.

(If we compare it to computer software, it is still in its beta phase. More of testing and not on final implementation)

On Thursday, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee grilled LTO officials over its P3.19-billion Road Information Technology infrastructure project amid allegations of corruption.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Probe stemmed from a 2021 Commission on Audit report which flagged the LTO for the "undue payment" given to an IT contractor despite the incomplete turnover of deliverables for the P3.19 billion Road IT Infrastructure project.

"Why was the payment made despite the reported issues and deficiencies of the provider? What has the LTO done about this?" Poe asked.

For Poe, the problems hounding the LTO have piled up and band-aid or stopgap measures were not remedies.

"Hindi pwedeng kapag nagkaubusan ng plastic license cards, papel muna ang driver's license. O kaya naman dahil ubos na ang plaka para sa motor, do-it-yourself na plaka muna ang gamitin," she said.

"Ang digitalization program ay dapat pabilisin at pagaanin ang transaksyon ng ating mga kababayan, hindi maging pabigat," she added.

(It is not acceptable that the plastic license cards and license plates are replaced with paper and do-it-yourself plates. The digitalization program should make our transactions fast and convenient and not be a burden to the public.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News