Driver’s license backlog blamed on defective engravers

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said defective laser engraving machines were the major cause for the backlogs in issuing driver’s licenses in several district and extension offices nationwide. The LTO said it lacked the funds to replace them. The LTO listed 36 field offices that could not print licenses due to defective laser engravers. The list can be found on LTO’s Facebook page. LTO chief Jose Arturo Tugade, however, said the backlogs on the issuance of driver’s licenses have already been reduced from almost 300,000 in August to about 92,000 as of November. “I commit to deliver those licenses but I also need funds to repair our engravers,” he said.

—Mariejo S. Ramos