LTO keen on extending driver’s license validity if TRO vs. contractor not lifted

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is eyeing to extend the validity of driver’s licenses of individuals affected by a court decision stopping the agency from receiving plastic cards from contractor Banner PlastiCard, LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said Monday.

Mendoza was referring to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215 decision ordering the LTO to defer the implementation of its contract with Banner PlastiCard as the former was allegedly not transparent or open why losing bidder AllCard Inc., which sought the temporary restraining order, was disqualified.

“We hope the TRO will be lifted this Wednesday. If it is not lifted, we will be constrained to extend the licenses of our motorists,” he said during the House appropriations panel hearing on the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) proposed P214.3 billion budget for 2024.

LTO is an attached agency of the DOTr.

“We have alternative plans, such as resorting to issuing electronic licensing, but if in two days the TRO won’t be lifted, we will be putting in place electronic licenses but if it won’t be done by that time, we will be going to Plan B which is extending the validity of licenses,” Mendoza added.

Agri party-list Representative Wilbert Lee said the LTO should consider stamping the  Official Receipt (OR) Certificate of Registration (CR) of vehicle owners to indicate the extension of the validity of their driver’s license to reduce cost.

“Why can’t you just put a stamp on the ORCR? That way, you won’t spend for the printout and motorists won’t have to go back and forth to you to renew their license,” he said.

In response, Mendoza assured that Lee’s suggestion is on the table.

“We are studying that option, vis-a-vis on how it will affect our revenue generation for the year. We already extended the validity of the driver's license to October this year, and we could also stamp the ORCR [as an alternative],” Mendoza said.

“We will be studying it with the DOTr for our next steps to be done to balance out the convenience of our motorists and our mandate to generate revenues for the government,” he added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News