DoTC sets aside P111M for upgrade of LTO offices

The government has set aside P111 million to upgrade several Land Transportation Office (LTO) sites across the country in a bid to improve the delivery of services to the public.

In a bid invitation published this week, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) said LTO offices in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and Metro Manila would be scheduled for renovation.

“The DOTC, together with the LTO, will improve LTO offices all over the country, raising their standards to levels suitable for servicing the public,” Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas said in a statement.

The budget allocation is on top of the P156 million earmarked for upgrades to both LTO and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) offices in key areas such as Cavite, Davao, La Union and Pangasinan.

“This project is in fulfillment of the commitment of the government to provide convenient, affordable, reliable, efficient and safe transport services,” the invitation published Wednesday said.

“Interested parties are invited to participate in the open and transparent bidding process for the repair and renovation of LTO offices,” the DoTC said.

The DoTC said a pre-bid conference for the project would be held on September 10 and that opening of bids would be on September 24.

Interested parties may acquire bid documents from the DoTC until the day before submitted bids are opened.

About P40 million of the project’s total budget would go to Region 5, or the Bicol area. Improvements to LTO offices in Legazpi, Masbate, Naga, Daet, Iriga, Sorsogon, Tabaco, Ragay and Catanduanes will be done, the DoTC said.

Aside from renovations to its offices, the LTO is also set to receive upgrades to its information technology (IT) systems, currently operated by Stradcom Corp. The company’s contract with the LTO expires next year.

The DoTC earlier tried to auction a new contract to find Stradcom’s replacement, but was stopped by the Court of Appeals (CA) on grounds that the new deal would infringe on the rights of other LTO suppliers.

The DoTC, through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), has appealed the decision, citing a rule that bars local courts from stopping the government from bidding out infrastructure projects.