By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz | Philippine News Agency
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has scheduled the issuance of plastic license cards to motorists after the Holy Week following the lifting of the injunction order against the measure by the Court of Appeals (CA).
In a statement on Tuesday, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said their regional offices have been instructed to prepare the schedule of their issuance of plastic cards and submit it before Maundy Thursday.
“Our goal is to start the distribution process of the plastic-printed driver’s license next week,” Mendoza said.
For driver’s licenses with expiration dates from April 1 to Aug. 31, 2023, and April 1 to 30, 2024, they are scheduled for renewal from April 15 to 30, 2024.
Driver’s licenses with expiration dates from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023, and May 1 to 31, 2024, are scheduled for renewal from May 1 to 31, 2024.
Moreover, driver’s licenses with expiration dates from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2024, and June 1 to 30, 2024, are scheduled for renewal from June 1 to 30, 2024.
“The list will ensure orderly distribution. This list will be posted in our LTO offices and our social media accounts so we appeal to our clients to always keep themselves updated,” he said.
Failure of a driver to renew their driver’s license within the schedule will render their license expired.
The scheduled release comes after at least 1 million plastic cards were delivered to the LTO Central Office on Monday after the CA ruled in favor of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTO, through the Office of the Solicitor General, when it lifted the writ of preliminary injunction issued by a Quezon City court last year.
The injunction order stopped the delivery of 3.2 million remaining plastic cards and eventually resulted in the backlog of plastic driver’s licenses–estimated at 4.1 million by the end of March.
With the delivery of the plastic cards, he assured that the LTO will work to reduce the backlog and ensure sufficient supply and stock for the rest of 2024.
