LTO to start printing 3-year driver’s license cards

As an early Christmas gift to drivers in Metro Manila, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will start the printing and distribution of three-year plastic license cards tomorrow.

Motorists who have pending applications can claim their plastic license cards in the 36 LTO licensing offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) starting Monday, with nationwide implementation expected soon.

This comes after the LTO signed a P186-million threemonth deal with its last provider, All card Plastics Philippines Inc., to supply three million plastic cards until February.

LTO executive director Romeo Vera Cruz said the awarding of the contract was done through the alternative mode of procurement last November as a way to solve the current backlog of about three million cards.

All Cards, he added, was tapped as it is the exclusive distributor of consumables which are compatible with current printing machines.

The company delivered 36 printing machines to 24 LTO district offices and 12 driver’s license renewal offices in the NCR. Each machine has a capacity to produce about 800 cards daily. At least 10 printers are also provided as back-up machines should any of the 36 conk out.

Cruz said drivers should present their official receipts when claiming their plastic license cards at the office where they filed the applications.

“I would like to caution all the claimants that they need not pay a single centavo to claim their driver’s license since they already paid for it, all they have to do is show to our personnel at the claims counter their official receipt,” LTO chief Edgar Galvante said in a statement.

The LTO, under a regular competitive bidding, has started the pre-bidding for a new contract to supply plastic cards for the five-year licenses. It is expected to award the contract by February 2017.

Records show a backlog of one million for the five-year licenses.