The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has successfully launched a pilot program allowing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan to renew their driver’s licenses online.
The two-day pilot implementation, which began Saturday, drew around 500 OFWs on its first day, with 200 of them successfully processing their renewals. One of the first to complete the online renewal was Angelito Maderia, a Taiwan-based worker who expressed gratitude for the convenient process.
“I’m happy because the process was easy and fast,” Maderia said. “Unlike before, I didn’t have to go back to the Philippines just to renew my license.”
Maderia, who complied with the requirements using his cellular phone during his break time, said the entire transaction was smooth. The requirements included an active LTO Portal account, online CDE certification, and a medical certificate from an LTO-accredited telemedical facility.
LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza said the goal of the program is to provide fast and comfortable services for driver’s renewal, in line with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s advocacy to digitalize all government services under the Bagong Pilipinas.
Mendoza expressed gratitude to Secretary Jaime J. Bautista for his support and to the Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO)-Taiching Extension Office Director Sabrina P. Aaron for assisting the LTO.
The entire process, from application to delivery of the license card, can take anywhere from 3-5 days, Mendoza said. The pilot implementation aims to test the system and gather feedback from OFWs before expanding to the United States and other countries in Europe and the Middle East.
LTO plans to print the license card and notify the OFW once it is ready for shipping. Maderia, who used GCash for payment, said he was grateful for the convenient service.
“I would like to thank LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza, Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, and President BBM for this kind of service, which is a big help to us OFWs,” Maderia said.
