President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed 14 laws establishing district offices of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in around 13 provinces in the country.
Duterte inked Republic Acts (RA) 11737, 11738, 11739, 11740, 11741, 11742, 11743, 11744, 11745, 11746, 11747, 11748, 11749, and 11750 on April 27 and copy of the laws were released by the Palace only on Thursday.
RA 11737 creates a regular LTO district office in Alicia, Isabela, while RA 11738 establishes an LTO district office in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
Under RA 11739, a regular district office of the LTFRB is created in Bacoor, Cavite.
An LTO district office is also established in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and Liloan, Cebu, according to RAs 11740 and 11741.
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 creates a regular LTO district office is created in Alcoy, Cebu, while RA 11744 establishes an LTO office in Laoang, Northern Samar.
Another LTO district office is also established each in San Jose, Dinagat Islands and Laoang town through RAs 11745 and 11746.
Under RA 11747, 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.
A regular LTO district is also established in Ibajay, Aklan, which will be known as the Western Aklan LTO Center, according to RA 11748.
RAs 11749 and 11750 also create a district office 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, said 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.
Source: Philippines News Agency
