MANILA, Philippines – Grappling with a shortage of plastic cards, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has tried to assure the public by extending the validity of driver’s licenses and issuing temporary paper driver’s licenses. The agency’s latest solution? A digital license.

The LTO said it is collaborating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to launch an electronic version of the driver’s license, which is traditionally printed on a plastic card.

“The advantage of the digital license is that motorists can present it to law enforcement officers during apprehension. It is equivalent to presenting the physical driver’s license,” said LTO chief Jose Arturo “Jay Art” Tugade.

It will also replace the paper-based official receipt that serves as a temporary driver’s license. Currently, the OR contains a unique QR code that law enforcers can scan to authenticate the document in the event that the license holder is apprehended.

Under this digitalization program, the digital license will be integrated into a supposed “super app” being developed by the DICT. This electronic version can also be used for license and registration renewals, as well as online payments.

Tugade gave assurances that the existing security measures of the plastic driver’s license will be integrated into the digital version, on top of the super app’s own security features.

“We also appreciate the way the super app functions similarly to a wallet, containing all government IDs, among other things, within your mobile device,” the LTO head said in a statement.

The LTO has yet to issue a timeline for the rollout of the digital license.

These developments come as LTO offices around the country have run out of plastic driver’s license cards. The shortage – which could cause delays for as many as 5.2 million motorists – is a result of procurement complications blamed alternately on the LTO and the Department of Transportation, depending on who you ask. 

Aside from this, the LTO also warned the public that its supply of motorcycle and car license plates may run out by June or July. – Rappler.com