LTO intensifies drive vs fixers
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is boosting its online transactions while intensifying measures against the long-standing problem of so-called “fixers.”
The LTO at same time clarified reports that the agency is considering disbanding the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) online portal.
The LTO emphasized that what is being studied to be abolished or strengthened is the online test for those who renew their driver's license or the Comprehensive Driver's Education (CDE) online validation exam.
"The LTO has no plans to dismantle the agency's online system or the LTMS," the agency said.
LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Teofilo Guadiz III previously announced that "fixers" are using the online CDE exam to charge a lot to those who want to renew their driver's license.
A technical working group (TWG) was formed last month to align measures to address the problems with fixers, including forgery of certificates by driving schools.
The TWG is already studying the options to ensure that the driver's license renewal applicant attend the seminar and exam and not the fixer.
The Management and Information Division (MID) of the LTO is also studying to strengthen its online system to stop those who intend to cheat in the process of obtaining a driver's license.
"The only thing that is needed there, we feel is that the facial recognition app is lacking for us to be able to effectively use the portal. If that feature is added, it is no longer possible to cheat. The portal should clearly show the person taking the exam, the actual owner of the driver's license," said Guadiz during a Senate hearing.
"We're in that process now of developing this facial recognition not only for this portal in renewing driver's license but in our future plan also that driver's license renewal will now be done online," added the LTO chief.