The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is rushing to deliver physical license cards and vehicle plates days before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The LTO further said the department was assured by a private contractor that there is “proof of capacity” to deliver the cards.
The P219-million project was awarded to Banner Plastic Card Inc., the contractor behind LandBank’s Visa debit cards.
“Five thousand is the sample cards. It will just be good faith offer that they can do it. I’ve seen the factory here in Pasig. They can do 15-30k copies every day. It’s proof that they can deliver,” LTO Officer-in-Charge Hector Villacorta, in an ABS-CBN News report, said.
The LTO said the contractor is ready to print the first five thousand cards when the purchased hologram from overseas arrives. The hologram is one of the driver’s license card security features. LTO earlier said that the OFWs and diplomats will be given priority.
The rest of the applicants, including bearers of temporary licenses printed on paper, may claim theirs as soon as the production is in full force. The project includes printing 5.2 million cards before the year ends.
“The paper will soon be out of date because the production of plastic cards will start with 15 to 30,000 plastic cards a day within ten days. The promise is within 60 days that, they can make one million cards. So the issue of lack of supply of plastic cards will be history,” Villacorta said.
The supply of license cards started depleting in March. To lessen the demand for license cards, LTO has extended the validity of expiring license cards on April 24 onwards until October 31.
Currently, the LTO has only 30,000 cards for nationwide distribution, which they reserve for overseas workers who require license cards for their work.
While waiting for the availability of plastic cards, LTO rolled out virtual license cards through its online portal.
The e-license card could now be accessed. However, the validity of the e-license will have to wait until the IRR of the project takes effect by next week.
“The virtual card will stand as supplementary and equivalent to the plastic card,” Villacorta said.
“Napaaga lang yung launch. We just want to assure the public that things are back to normal and that we have two forms (of license cards) that are available,” Villacrota added.
The LTO will coordinate with DFA and DMW to validate the e-license cards for overseas workers. The agency will also give its enforcers and the PNP a directive to recognize the e-card as valid cards.
