Poe to LTO: Show full report on vehicle plates, license cards backlog mess

New license cards for motor vehicles. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to disclose all data on vehicle plate and license card backlogs, including the anticipated resolution timeframe.

In a statement on Thursday, the senator noted LTO’s “notorious reputation of delivering short of what is expected.”

“We ask the LTO to give the public a complete report on its backlog on vehicle plates and license cards to give a complete picture of the issues it is facing,” said Poe, who heads the Senate Committee on Public Services.

“We also expect to know its timeline for clearing its deficiencies and how it will do it,” she added.

LTO chief Jay Art Tugade on Wednesday warned of a potential license plate shortage in June and July, depending on the DOTr’s procurement success, adding to the existing 5.2 million driver’s license deficit.

READ: LTO forecasts license plate shortage in June, July; makeshift plates possible

READ: Plastic card shortage to hit 5.2 million motorists

Due to shortages, the agency used paper-based licenses and improvised plates. However, Poe said LTO shouldn’t rely on “band-aid measures,” as these are risky and abuse-prone options.

“Binabayaran ng motorista ang plaka at lisensya. Hindi katanggap-tanggap na sa huli, ang solusyon ay papel na kanya-kanyang imprenta,” said Poe. (The motorist pays for the license plate and license. It is unacceptable that in the end, the solution is individual paper printing.)

“Hindi dapat taumbayan ang pinahihirapan sa sitwasyon na hindi naman nila kasalanan,” she stressed. (The public should not suffer in a situation which is not their fault. )

Poe observed LTO could have avoided the backlogs if it had gone through comprehensive planning and estimation.

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APL/abc