The supply of plastic cards for driver’s licenses will normalize by September this year, with up to 130,000 unissued cards to be received by motorists, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista announced Wednesday, July 19.
The DOTr and the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) forecasted up to 500,000 plastic card shortage until October, after the latter issued Memorandum Circular extending the validity of driver’s licenses until October 31.
"We’re expecting initial delivery of the plastic card licenses by next week," he stated. "It will be done gradually but all pending cards will be delivered by September."
Todate LTO's backlog of plastic license cards number around 120,000 to 130,000.
“Earlier, we issued a statement that we have almost 400-500,000 cards pending because we included the licenses extended up to October," Secretary Bautista clarified.
This April 24, the LTO issued a Memorandum Circular extending the validity of licenses expiring April 24 to October 31.
"We can now issue all these licenses by September," he assured.
The DOTr Secretary likewise cited the electronic driver’s license (eDL) issued by the LTO, which motorists can accessed via the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) Portal.
“The good news is, we have implemented digital licensing. Those who have no physical license cards yet can see their licenses in the portal," he explained. Motorists can use their e-DLs as alternative identification cards, although driver's license holders must also have a physical copy, according to Secretary Bautista.
Motorists who were issued paper licenses can already get their physical license cards by August or September, he reiterated.