Press Release
October 2, 2018

Senate pushes for establishment, conversion of LTO offices in regions

The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading eight bills seeking to establish and convert Land Transportation Office (LTO) extension offices into regular licensing centers in several provinces.

Approved were House Bill Nos 4765 and 5955, which calls for the establishment of LTO extension offices in the municipalities of Brooke's Point and Narra in Palawan; HBN 5992, converting a LTO satellite office in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur into a regular office; HBN 5627, 4065, 5953 and 5568, establishing a LTO office in Valencia, Budkidnon; Panabo, Davao del Norte; Sipalay, Negros Occidental and Ticao, Masbate respectively and HBN 1924, converting the LTO-Medellin extension office into a regular district office.

Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services and sponsor of the bills, said the establishment and conversion of the LTO offices would mean faster processing of transactions and shorter queues for the applicants.

In most cases, she said, the application for a driver's license signifies a coming of age when "teens apply for their license, not because they own a car, but because they had just become adults."

"Driver's license has become a symbol of newfound freedom for people, especially young professionals," Poe said in her sponsorship speech.

Once the bills become law, she said, applicants for driver's license need not travel far because they have a LTO office near their place.

Last year, Poe sponsored Republic Act No. 10930 extending the validity of drivers' licenses to five years and 10 years if no violation has been committed.

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