MANILA – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed 14 laws creating district offices of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in about 13 provinces across the country.
On April 27, Duterte inked Republic Acts (RA) 11737, 11738, 11739, 11740, 11741, 11742, 11743, 11744, 11745, 11746, 11747, 11748, 11749, and 11750 and copy of the laws were issued by the Palace only on Thursday.
RA 11737 establishes a regular LTO district office in Alicia, Isabela, while RA 11738 creates an LTO district office in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
According to RA 11739, a regular district office of the LTFRB is created in Bacoor, Cavite.
Under RAs 11740 and 11741, an LTO district office is also established in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and Liloan, Cebu.
RA 11742 converts the LTO extension office in Sigma, Capiz into a regular district office. The converted LTO office will now be located in Dumalag, Capiz.
RA 11743 establishes a regular LTO district office in Alcoy, Cebu, while RA 11744 creates an LTO office in Laoang, Northern Samar.
Under RAs 11745 and 11746, another LTO district office is also established each in San Jose, Dinagat Islands and Laoang town.
The LTO’s extension office in Mabalacat City, Pampanga is converted into a regular LTO district office and renamed as the Mabalacat City LTO District Office, according to RA 11747.
RA 11748 establishes a regular LTO district in Ibajay, Aklan, which will be known as the Western Aklan LTO Center.
Under RAs 11749 and 11750, a district office will be created each in the municipality of Enrique B. Magalona in Negros Occidental province and the municipality of Pagsanjan in Laguna province.
The laws mandate the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to include in the department’s program the operationalization of the LTO and LTFRB district offices.
The funding for the operations of LTO offices will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Senator Grace Poe, sponsor of the bills in the Senate, stated that the new laws will improve transportation services and create more jobs in the communities.
“With the upgrading or setting up of new Land Transportation Offices, our people will no longer have to travel far and bear long lines to get a license or have their vehicles registered,” she said in a statement.
