LTO and SM Supermalls Launches Temporary Offsite Printing Office at SM Marikina
Are you one of the
people who keep on harping about LTO's slow release of licenses in the recent
months? For everyone concerned, we should take into consideration why there are
delays in the license cards release. One of them is when the validity period
for licenses was lengthened into five years for the convenience of the public
as mandated by President Rodrigo Duterte, the availability of the cards was
delayed, thus, LTO has accumulated backlog printing of over 5 million
nationwide, with one million of them coming from the National Capital Region
(NCR) alone.
Well there is good
news now for all concerned as starting October 2016, LTO will begin issuance of
the driver's license cards to those who have already applied but without
license cards. For the fast tracking of release and to offload several backlogs
of card issuance, LTO has sought the assistance of SM Supermalls to provide a
Temporary Offsite Printing Office (TOPO) in several of its malls.
The printing of the
5YVC is in accordance with the implementation of the Five Year Validity License
Card that started last 10 October 2016 under the issuance of the Administrative
Order No. 2016-034, re: Rules and Regulations Providing for a Five-Year
Validity Driver's Licenses and Conductor's Licenses. This in in accordance with
the provisions of Republic Act 10930, amending provisions of RA 4136 otherwise
known as Land Transportation and Traffic Code, particularly Section 23.
Earlier at the SM
Marikina, LTO and SM Supermalls formally opened the LTO Temporary Offsite
Printing Office located inside the mall. The official launch were attended by LTO
officials and graced by Chief/Assistant Sec. Edgar Galvante, Executive Director
Atty Romeo Vera Cruz, NCR Regional Director Atty. Clarence Guinto and other NCR
District Officers. Ms. Annie Garcia, President of SM Supermalls likewise attended
the launching as well as Marikina’s city government officials led by Mayor
Marcelino Teodoro and Vice-Mayor Jose Fabian Cadiz.
From October to
December 2017, selected malls of SM will also provide service by the LTO
Temporary Offsite Printing Office specifically dedicated to printing/
distribution of the DL cards with 5 year validity. The mall are SM Southmall,
SM Fairview, SM North EDSA, SM Manila and Cherry Shaw.
Simultaneous with the
launch of the Temporary Offsite Printing Office is the signing of Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) between the SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and the LTO.
During the launch and
the MOA signing, Assistant Secretary Edgar C. Gavante, LTO Chief, expressed his
thanks and appreciation to the management of SM Malls for providing LTO free
spaces for offsite printing of Driver's License card with 5-year validity.
It was also disclosed
that other negotiation from other mall owners to open more LTO kiosks to
address the backlog operation is in the offing.
For more information,
visit www.facebook.com/SMSupermalls
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