LTO procurement of ID cards, plates should have started August 2022, DOTr says

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 2) — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the procurement of ID cards and license plates should have been done in August last year, which could have prevented the shortage and delayed release to motorists.

“The procurement only started officially last March but LTO (Land Transportation Office) should have started the procurement as early as August,” DOTr Sec. Jaime Bautista told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Tuesday.

He noted this was when the proposed 2023 budget was submitted to the Congress.

The LTO earlier said that it will be printing driver’s licenses on paper as the agency runs out of ID cards. It also said that license plate materials are expected to run out by June.

LTO attributed the problem to the order issued by Bautista in January that said all procurement activities worth over ₱50 million must pass through the central office.

The DOTr chief said the LTO could have started its procurement last year.

“Unfortunately at the time we issued the special order, LTO had not started the procurement of plates and licenses so we requested them to submit the terms of references when we issued that memorandum. But LTO was able to submit only the terms of reference in mid-March,” Bautista explained.

Still, he assured that the agency allocated a budget for the procurement of the needed materials.

Bautista said the agency is committed to address the problem as soon as possible.