LTO to begin 24-hour production of license plates
THE LAND Transportation Office (LTO) will shift to a 24-hour operation to clear its backlog of about 12 million license plates for motor vehicles by next year, the agency told congressmen on Monday.
LTO administrative officer for property Maria Clarissa G. Ogsimer said the agency’s plant will operate on a “three-shift’ model to increase plant productivity by 27.9% to 48,600 plates per day.
“This shift will enable the agency to complete the production of the entire backlog before the end of second quarter of 2025,” she told the House transportation committee.
A three-shift system would include a night shift to the standard two eight-hour shift, covering the proposed 24-hour production of license plates.
The LTO also has a shortage of 3.2 million plastic driver’s license cards as of Feb. 14. LTO Central office administrative division chief Louella V. Mutia said the backlog was caused by a court injunction issued against its supplier, Banner Plasticard, Inc.
This temporarily stopped the office’s P240.1-million contract with Banner Plasticard, Inc., with the LTO resorting to printed paper licenses.
The government has tapped the National Printing Office, the central bank, and government-owned APO Production Unit to supply plastic license cards.
Ms. Mutia said documents for the procurement of plastic license cards have been submitted to the Transportation department for review. Its memorandum of agreement (MoA) will be signed two weeks after the bids and awards committee’s approval.
If the TRO on the injunction is denied, the LTO will request an additional budget of P132.03 million to procure the remaining backlog, Ms. Mutia added. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz