LTO gets fresh supply of license cards after CA lifts injunction order

Back in November last year, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) received a writ of preliminary injunction which halted the delivery of about 3.2 million plastic cards from Banner Plasticard, Inc.

The case stemmed from the case filed by the losing bidder Allcards, Inc. in the procurement of around 5.2 million pieces of plastic cards early last year. With the injunction order, this left LTO with a short supply of plastic cards and an ever-growing backlog, forcing them to re-extend the validity of expired driver's licenses.

Four months later, it looks like there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel for LTO and its plastic card supply issues. The Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of DOTr and the LTO, lifting the writ of preliminary injunction issued by a Quezon City court last year. This means LTO can now use plastic cards supplied by Banner Plasticard, Inc. and resume the printing of driver’s licenses.

After the lifting of the injunction order, LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II has immediately ordered LTO regional offices to issue renewal schedules for expired driver’s licenses before the long Holy Week break, and instructed regional directors to coordinate with the LTO Central Office for the delivery of the plastic cards down to the District Offices and satellite offices nationwide.

The LTO memo has been posted earlier today, and these are the approved renewal schedules:

Based on the procurement agreement, Banner Plasticard, Inc. will still have to deliver the remaining 3.2 million plastic cards, but the LTO says at least one million pieces of plastic cards were already delivered to the Central Office when the lifting of the injunction order was issued last March 25.

Furthermore, the current backlog of plastic-printed driver’s licenses is already at the 4.1 million mark by the end of this month. While it’s still a sizeable backlog, the assured deliveries of plastic cards should narrow the gap while LTO is exhausting all measures to ensure sufficient supply and stock for the entire year.