Amid the looming possibility of going back to paper-printed driver’s license following the issuance of an injunction that stops the delivery of plastic cards, Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor D. Mendoza II appealed to the company that filed the case not to pursue the legal battle anymore for the sake of millions of Filipino people who are now being affected by the supply shortage.

“On behalf of the millions of our clients, I personally extend my appeal to the Allcards, Inc. not to pursue the case it filed anymore for the sake of the Filipino people who are at the core of both our mission and vision to have easier and convenient way of life through reliable technology platforms,” said Mendoza in a statement released on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

“While the government is ready to go on any prolonged legal battles on the issue and to exhaust all the available legal remedies to address this problem, wala namang mawawala sa pagpapakumbaba para sa kapakanan ng milyong-milyon nating mga kababayan na apektado nito (there’s nothing wrong if we choose humility for the sake of millions of Filipino people who would be affected by this,” he added. 

Mendoza recalled that there was a jubilation among the LTO employees and their clients when he personally announced that the shortage of physical driver’s license would be wiped out soon with sufficient delivery of plastic cards. 

During Mendoza’s announcement, more than one million plastic cards were already delivered by Banner Plasticard, Inc. which prompted the LTO to schedule the claiming of physical driver’s license.

Based on the guideline of the LTO, the 2.4 million backlog in physical driver’s license would have been wiped out by March next year. 

Mendoza said he felt a sigh of relief for LTO frontliners, whom he said, have been at the receiving end of frustrations of their clients when the effects of the shortage started in April this year 

He said this is also true for their clients “who finally saw a ray of light that finally, the problem that primarily affects them would be solved. 

“I felt that sigh of relief not only as the LTO Chief, but also as an owner of a driver’s license which is a very important proof of identity for all the essential transactions that ordinary Filipinos have to deal with in both government and private entities,” said Mendoza. 

“With the issuance of the Writ of Preliminary Injunction, we are again taking away that hope for normalcy from millions of our affected and would-be affected kababayans, especially with the uncertainty at this point as to when the case would be resolved with finality,” he added 

The shortage on the supply of plastic cards started early last year which prompted the Department of Transportation to announce the bidding for the procurement of 5.2 million plastic cards which was won by Banner Plastics, Inc. 

Allcards filed a case to stop the procurement process, saying it was denied due process when the DOTr disqualified the company.

“Wala man ako sa LTO nang mag-umpisa ang problemang ito, ramdam na ramdam ko ang epekto nito sa ating mga kababayan lalo na at galing ako sa transport sector bago pumasok sa ahensyang ito (I was not still the LTO chief when this problem started but I feel the effects of this on the people especially that I came from the transport sector before I was appointed in this agency),” said Mendoza.