Shortage in driver’s licenses blamed on poor foresight

LACK OF SUPPLY Administrative Aide IV Raquel Maniago shows a blank PVC ID from a set intended for driver’s licenses. The government, however, has run out of supply of the plastic cards. —LYN RILLON

The shortage in plastic ID cards for driver’s licenses was caused not by a lack of funds, but a “lack of smarts and foresight” in procuring the said ID cards. House deputy speaker Rep. Ralph Recto said the Land Transportation Office (LTO) should remember its own advice to motorists—to anticipate possible problems on the road. “The reason is not a lack of funds, but a lack of smarts. Not all procurement debacles stem from lack of money. Some are caused by inefficiency by agencies rich in resources but poor in foresight,” he said on Saturday. Recto made the remarks after the LTO admitted a shortage in plastic ID cards for driver’s licenses, which may affect 5.2 million motorists. The LTO projected the shortage as early as November last year. Recto pointed out that the LTO can easily collect the P249 million needed to procure the plastic ID cards for driver’s licenses in less than four days. “Just one month of collections for driver’s license fees would be enough to buy plastic ID cards for driver’s licenses,” he said. —Julie M. Aurelio