The Land Transportation Office has opened an online portal to serve the public under the new normal.
The agency is now working with its digital technology partner Dermalog that developed an online portal system and rendered automation of public services from driver’s license application and renewal, motor vehicle registration, penalties and online payment access from the safety of the clients’ homes and office.
The rule on social distancing must strictly be observed during the new normal, prompting the LTO to make a major shift in customer and client services.
The LTO has launched its new registration portal at portal.lto.gov.ph in a bid to avoid long queues of applicants and slow down the spread of COVID-19.
The online service is now available in Laoag City, Bayombong, Roxas City, Tagbuilaran City, Dumaguete City, Ormoc City, Butuan City, Pagadian City, Malaybalay, Lipa City, Calapan City, Naga City, Tagum City, Davao City, General Santos City, Baguio City, Angeles City, San Fernando City, Binan City and LTO central office in Quezon City.
The new online portal system is combined with a land transport management system, including an automated biometrics identification system from Dermalog with face recognition and fingerprint identification.
Also, the law enforcers will have the apprehending device to automate ticketing of traffic violations and payment of penalties, while the student permit examination has facial recognition to ensure that the applicant and the examinee is one and the same person.
The system allows an easy integration of verification services with other government agencies, such as the Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation.
Meanwhile, the Clean Air Philippines Movement has appealed to the Department of Transportation to “immediately” implement a nationwide moratorium on the registration of electric bicycles (e-sikleta) with the Land transportation Office.
Its president Leo Olarte, ex-Philippine Medical Association president, called for a moratorium on LTO’s Administrative Order -2006-01 covering electric bicycles and other electric vehicles to register under the Land Transportation Code.
The registration would further require that electric vehicles must also be operated with a license. “The moratorium on electric bicycles that we are asking must immediately take effect during the state of public health emergency (declared by President Rodrigo Duterte) to allow our workforce to use an alternative, affordable, clean, social or physical distancing compliant mode of transportation as they go to work and home in the new normal,” he said.
He raised concern over the new order, following the launch of their “One Million Electric Bicycles (e-sikleta) Project for the New Normal Philippines.”
According to Olarte, CAPMI is working with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Task Force: Tayo Kalikasan for the environmental aspect of their program.
