The Land Transportation Office (LTO) of the Philippines has announced that starting April 15, individuals who were previously issued paper-printed driver’s licenses can have them replaced with the standard plastic cards. This development follows the Court of Appeals’ decision to lift an injunction order that had halted the distribution of plastic license cards.
LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II clarified that recipients of the paper licenses need to visit the district office where they originally obtained the paper license to facilitate the exchange. Additionally, the LTO outlined a schedule for license renewals based on expiration dates, with specific windows set from April through June 2024 to streamline the process.
The resumption of plastic card issuance marks a significant step forward after previous legal and supply challenges. In 2023, a court injunction temporarily disrupted the supply chain, causing the LTO to resort to paper licenses due to a shortage of plastic cards. The recent delivery of one million plastic cards to the LTO’s central office signifies progress in resolving these issues.
Senator Grace Poe has called for continuous delivery of the plastic cards to alleviate public inconvenience and urged the LTO to publish clear guidelines for the transition from paper to plastic licenses. The senator also suggested that the LTO consider local production of plastic cards to prevent future delays.
The LTO anticipates further deliveries of plastic cards in the coming months and a new supplier to fulfill the demand for the remainder of the year, indicating a resolution to the previous supply constraints. This shift back to plastic driver’s licenses is expected to streamline the licensing process and improve service delivery for Filipino drivers.