The Land Transportation Office’s E-Patrol Mobile Service is now in Poro town to cater to the needs of island residents. /CDN Digital Media Files
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Motorcycle use in the municipality of Poro in Camotes Island has remained unregulated for years.
Mayor Luciano “Boy” Rama said that most of the drivers do not even have licenses to start with.
“In our records for the past six years, there is a road accident every two days because there is no regulation. Even kids as young as 12-years-old are (already) driving motorcycles,” Rama told Cebu Daily News Digital.
But all these will have to change with the visit of the E-Patrol Mobile Service of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) from April 1 to 5.
E-Patrol Mobile Services will include the issuance of student permits, releasing and renewal of drivers licenses, and the releasing and renewal of motor vehicle registrations.
Regional Director Victor Caindec said that with their E-Patrol program, they are already able to bring their services to residents of towns and cities that do not have LTO offices.
Caindec told CDN Digital that in places like Camotes and Bantayan Islands that are located off mainland Cebu province, it is almost impossible to access LTO services, making it difficult for the Local Government Units (LGUs) to regulate vehicle use in their localities.
“Mahal kaayo ang simple nga emmission testing para sa atong katawhan kay ilabang pa nila sa mainland. Mao na kami nalay moadto sa ilaha para mahatagan sad nato silag serbisyo (A service as simple emission testing is very costly because owners will have to transport their vehicles to mainland Cebu. This is the very reason why we decided to be the ones to visit these areas to bring our services closer to the people),” he added.
However, Caindec admitted that their E-Patrol program is just a short-term solution to the need for vehicle registration and drivers license issuances in islands as they are located off mainland Cebu.
As a long-term plan, Caindec said he is now considering the possibility of opening LTO offices in Bantayan and Camotes Islands.
“Of course, mahal siya mao nga dili madali-dali. Pero naa natay gibuhat nga mahatagan nato silag offices. (Of course, that is going to be costly that is why we cannot do these with haste. But we are already doing something to establish LTO offices in these areas),” he said.
Caindec said that the space should have a strong Internet connection and a Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) branch nearby. The Commission on Audit mandates that LTO earnings should be deposited to the nearest LBP branch on a daily basis.
Mayor Rama said that LBP’s plan to open a branch in their town is expected to hasten the opening of an LTO office there.
“We really hope for the LTO to establish an office here because we need more regulations on our vehicles,” said Rama.
Meanwhile, Rama is also hoping that the Department of Health (DOH) will also be able to establish a hospital in there area where health care is now a major consideration because of the influx of tourists there.
“On the occasion that we have a medical emergency, ilabang pa namo og dagat (we had to bring the patient to the mainland Cebu (for treatment)),” said Rama.
An option, Rama said, is to have a water ambulance that will make the transfer of their patients more convenient./dcb