MANILA, Philippines 鈥擳he shortage of driver鈥檚 license cards is expected to be resolved by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) by September.
Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista announced on Wednesday that the pending licenses, numbering between 120,000 and 130,000, are expected to be delivered this month.
鈥淵ung license natin, we鈥檙e expecting delivery by next week. Initially pakonti-konti lang 鈥榶an. By September, na-deliver na lahat 鈥榶ung pending natin na dapat iisyu,鈥 Bautista said.
(We鈥檙e expecting our licenses to be delivered by next week. Initially, it鈥檚 just a little by little. All our pending cards will have been delivered by September, which should be issued.)
The Secretary also clarified his earlier statement where he had said there were about 500,000 pending licenses.
鈥淩emember, nung April 24, nagkaroon ng Memorandum Circular extending the validity of license expiring April 24 to October 31. By September, pwede na nating iisyu 鈥榶ung lahat ng mga license na 鈥榯o,鈥 he recalled.
(Remember, on April 24, a Memorandum Circular was extending the validity of licenses expiring in April 24 to October 31. By September, we will also be able to issue all of these licenses.)
Meanwhile, motorists issued paper licenses may also get physical license cards beginning next month.
鈥淪iguro, bandang August or by September, lahat 鈥榶an mabibigay na namin,鈥 Bautista said.
(Maybe we can already provide all of these around August or by September.)
He also reported motorists may already access their electronic driver鈥檚 license (eDL).
This is through the online portal of the Land Transportation Office called Transportation Management System or LTMS.
The e-DLs may be used as alternative identification cards.
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