The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is set to launch an electronic version of driver’s license in what it described as a continuing effort to digitalize all its services.
In partnership with the the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the digital license will serve as an electronic alternative to the physical driver's license card, according to LTO chief JayArt Tugade.
"The advantage of the digital license is that motorists can present it to law enforcement officers during apprehension. It is equivalent to presenting the physical driver's license," said Tugade.
“We also appreciate the way the super app functions similarly to a wallet, containing all government IDs, among other things, within your mobile device,” he added.
The digital license is part of the agreement between the LTO and the DICT in March this year that focuses on enhancing the digitalization of systems and processes within the LTO, ultimately improving its overall efficiency and effectiveness.
The digital license, according to Tugade, will be integrated into the "super app" currently being developed by the DICT.
He explained that the digital license aims to replace the Official Receipt (OR) as temporary driver's license currently printed on paper.
“The public will be able to utilize the digital license for various transactions with the agency, including license and registration renewals as well as online payments,” said Tugade.
Amid concerns on the security of the digital license, Tugade assured the public that the existing security features of the driver's license would be integrated into the digital version, in addition to the “super app's” security measures.
By simplifying the transactions in the LTO, Tugade said this would help in finally convincing its clients not to tap the services of the fixers.
And in digitalizing more LTO services, he said this would ultimately aid the agency in eradicating corruption.