The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has reallocated P50 million from the department’s budget into improving the facilities of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) offices.
The P50-million was initially allotted to new vehicles for the DOTr Central Office which was postponed by Lopez, to make way for the LTO and LTFRB facilities.
According to DOTR Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez, these improvements may include ‘installation of air conditioning units, provision of water dispensers and sufficient chairs, among others,’ to enhance the waiting areas in the LTO and LTFRB offices.
He then ordered the LTO and LTFRB to optimize the use of the reallocated funds, which are valid until the end of 2025.
Lopez also said that the aircon units, and water dispensers are ‘more important’ than new vehicles that may be procured in 2026.
‘Ginagawa natin ito dahil mas importante sa amin sa DOTr na may maayos na pasilidad ‘yung mga kababayan natin. Mas mahalaga ang mga ‘yan kaysa sa mga bagong sasakyan na pwede namang i-procure kahit sa susunod na taon,’ Lopez said as quoted in a statement.
(We are doing this because it is more important to us at the DOTr that our countrymen have proper facilities. Those are more important than new vehicles that can be procured even next year.)
‘The DOTr together with its sectoral offices such as the LTO and LTFRB shall undertake measures to improve the delivery of services including the enhancement of facilities used by the general public,’ an October 16 memorandum from the DOTr read.
The DOTr received a budget of P87 billion for 2025, and it proposed a budget of P197 billion for 2026 – around 226 percent more than the year prior.