By Jel Santos, March 17, 2023; Manila Bulletin

https://mb.com.ph/2023/3/17/digitalized-services-continue-to-boost-lto-s-anti-corruption-efforts

Digitalized services of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) continue to boost the agency’s anti-corruption efforts, resulting in “recognizable” faster and more convenient transactions for the public.

In a recent statement, Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera commended the LTO’s intensified motor vehicle (MV) inspection initiatives as a pre-requisite in the registration of vehicles to ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and safe to be driven on the country’s roads.

To note, all LTO-accredited private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVIC) around the country are now connected to the agency’s system for faster and easier transmission of digital inspection reports.

“This will not only streamline the LTO’s operations but will also improve the efficiency of the agency’s services, resulting in faster and more convenient transactions for the public,” it was noted.

In response, LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo “Jay Art” Tugade expressed gratitude to Herrera for commending the agency’s intensified anti-corruption efforts and for clamping down on the practice of non-appearance for motor vehicle registration and inspection.

Among the recent programs of the LTO to curb corruption through digitalization of its services include the use of Law Enforcement Mobile Handheld Devices (LEMHD) and the implementation of online motor vehicle registration renewal, he said.

Replacing the old manual ticketing system, LEMHD is used by the agency’s enforcers in issuing electronic Temporary Operator’s Permits (e-TOP) when apprehending erring motorists.

The plain online motor vehicle registration renewal, on the other hand, is currently being done through the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal so there’s no more need for transacting customers to visit LTO offices personally. For online renewal transactions, customers only need the MV inspection report, which can be obtained if the car was brought to any accredited PMVIC.

“These are just some of the services that utilize technologies to make transactions with the LTO more convenient to the public. Rest assured that we will announce other digitalized services that are also part of the anti-corruption efforts of the agency,” Tugade noted.

He added that the LTO continues to work closely with different stakeholders to further improve the agency’s mandate of implementing measures to ensure road safety and road worthiness of motor vehicles plying the country’s roads.