DOTR’S Villacorta named LTO OIC

Lawyer Hector Villacorta has been named as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), replacing resigned agency chief Jay art Tugade.

He was appointed by Department of Transportation (DOTR) Secretary Jaime Bautista, through a Special Order, following Tugade’s resignation last month.

“assistant Secretary Villacorta will be the LTO OIC while waiting for permanent appointment by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Bautista was quoted as saying.

Concurrently the DOTR assistant Secretary for Communications and Commuter affairs, Villacorta assured the transport chief that the LTO will continue with its mandate in providing excellent service to the Filipino people by focusing on critical issues, including the issuance of driver’s license and vehicle plates.

“This is not really a transition. It is a continuation of the efforts done by the LTO all these many decades. I know the LTO started even before there were automobiles to find out which animal should draw carts behind them. and so we live in an institution where personalities may change, but we will carry on. and when we see the dawn of this office, we will never forget those who helped us through the night,” Villacorta said.

a former Commission on appointments (Ca) secretary during the terms of Senate Presidents aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Vicente Sotto III, Villacorta was also the chief of staff of Sotto.

a practicing lawyer, Villacorta was a product of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Law in 1971 and Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

He will have to spearhead initiatives to address issues within the LTO, including the shortage of license cards as well as the problems with the IT management systems.

Tugade announced his resignation on May 22, citing differences with the DOTR in ways of working.

“Today as I turnover the agency with the very capable and competent atty. Villacorta, I turnover the agency not with dreams but with real and tangible programs, policies and accomplishments and I challenged my successor to continue and add to the many reforms that we have already started here in our agency,” said Tugade.