IT provider demands apology from LTO chief
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Dermalog, the IT contractor of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), on Tuesday demanded that LTO chief Teofilo Guadiz III apologize for claiming the recent slowing down of the agency’s online licensing and registration system was the contractor’s fault.
Guadiz earlier claimed that Dermalog was at fault for the slowdown and that the LTO’s Management Information Division (MID) was already fixing the issue.
“These are unfair allegations. Thus we are asking LTO chief Guadiz to apologize to Dermalog for his statements that are not accurate,” said Dermaloc spokesperson Atty. Nikki de Vega in a press conference in Quezon City.
De Vega hinted that slowing down the LTO’s online system was possible sabotage from within the LTO offices.
According to De Vega, several computers were discovered to have been transmitting high-volume disruptions from LTO regional offices, based on Dermalog’s investigations.
“Thus, we found out that the slowdown is caused by computers inside LTO premises,” said De Vega.
“Nasa custody na ng LTO ito and in fact transmitted ang finding sa LTO. Even LTO said the computers caused malware,” she added.
(These are already in the custody of LTO, and findings have already been transmitted to the LTO. Even LTO said the computers caused malware.)
De Vega also urged Guadiz to discuss the problem with Dermalog.
“Moving forward, nananawagan kami kay LTO chief Guadiz na makipagusap sa Dermalog para masolusyonan ang problema (we are calling on LTO to meet with Dermalog to find a solution on the problem),” said De Vega.
“Let us serve the people, let us give them the public service that they rightfully deserve,” she added.
De Vega also clarified that LTO has full control over the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS), which covers online licensing and registration, and that Dermalog is not in charge of its network.
“Under the contract, Dermalog ang technical support sa maintenance, may limitation ang access,” she said.
Guadiz had previously wanted to find another IT provider in a possible bid at system automation.
He later clarified that LTO does not intend to replace Dermalog “because doing so at this time will produce more problems instead of solutions.”
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