The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is seeking to expand the automated services of the Bangsamoro Land Transportation Office (BLTO) to provide convenient and accessible services to more motorists across the region.
At a recent meeting with BLTO’s technology provider Stradcom Corp. in Quezon City, MOTC Minister Termizie Masahud underscored the need for additional LTO sites in far-flung areas of BARMM, specifically in Lamitan, Basilan and Maguindanao. The MOTC is also planning to establish its first BLTO regional office in Cotabato.
Masahud lauded Stradcom’s role in automating the processes of its current BLTO sites, which provide efficiency and convenience in their daily operations.
The BLTO currently has district offices in Cotabato, Marawi, Maguindanao, and Wao, Lanao del Sur; a licensing center in Cotabato, and an extension office in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. All of these were interconnected through the Philippines’ Land Transportation Office (LTO) IT System.
In November 2021, the MOTC and STRADCOM agreed to automate land transportation systems in BARMM and to interconnect its database with the LTO Central Office. The partnership also ensured the authenticity and validity of documents, such as driver’s licenses and motor vehicle registrations, issued by the BLTO.
To date, the LTO-IT System has processed over 110,000 driver’s licenses, registered over 36,000 motor vehicles, and recorded almost 4,000 traffic adjudication reports in BARMM.
Stradcom Vice President and Head for Auxiliary Services and Project Development Luis Angelo Ibarra affirmed the company’s continued commitment to supporting the MOTC’s transportation initiatives, including its network expansion. He emphasized that Stradcom is not merely a technology provider but a partner of the BARMM in advancing progress and development in the region.
Aside from the LTO-IT System rollout, Stradcom also developed a BLTO Renewal Kiosk (BRK) deployed in the Cotabato District Office, which enables self-service motor vehicle renewal within 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, MOTC and Stradcom officials discussed the adoption of the 10-year driver’s license validity in BARMM, which would extend the current five-year validity period. This policy is also consistent with the driver’s license issuance of the LTO Central Office. Stradcom confirmed that this initiative could be done in the LTO-IT system.