DOTr chief says he ‘appreciates’ Tugade’s LTO tenure; no word on replacement yet
DOTr Sec. Jaime Bautista
MANILA, Philippines — Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on Monday said he appreciates the service rendered by Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo Tugade, who earlier announced his resignation due to “differing methods with the Department of Transportation (DOTr.)
“We extend our appreciation to Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo Tugade for his 7-month stint as Assistant Secretary of the Land Transportation Office,” said Bautista in a statement.
“His pursuit of service innovations at LTO benefited the public, for which this office is grateful,” he added.
According to Tugade, his resignation as LTO chief will be effective June 1.
Bautista has yet to name a replacement for Tugade, but said that he will submit to the Office of the President his recommendation “while aligning efforts to the mission of this Department.”
Tugade stepped down as LTO chief earlier that day, citing differences in the LTO and DOTr’s public service.
Tugade took over the LTO in November 2022 and faced several issues, including the shortage of plastic cards for driver’s licenses and shortage in vehicle license registration plates — which hounded the agency even before his stint as LTO chief.
