LTO-7 extension office officially opens in Naga

(From left) Dave Baldoza, LTO Asst. Sec. Vigor Mendoza, City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong, LTO-7 Director Glen Galario, LTO-7 Asst. Dir. Arturo Apolinar, and acting chief of Naga extension office, Erwin Patalingjug. CDN Digital photo/Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Motorists from the southern part of Cebu who want to renew their driver’s license may proceed to the new LTO-7 extension office in Naga City.

On Thursday, June 20, the Land Transportation Office in CEntral Visayas  (LTO-7) officially opened its extension office at Barangay East Poblacion within the vicinity of Naga Boardwalk. This will be LTO-7’s 5th extension office in Cebu with others located in Talisay City, Bantayan Island, Camotes Island, and Dalaguete.

Among the LTO key officials present were LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, LTO-7 Director Glen Galario, LTO-7 Assistant Regional Director Arturo Apolinar, City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong, and a private proponent.

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The said LTO-7 extension office can accommodate from 100 to 150 individuals per day, with a target of at least 50 individuals sitting-at-a-time during transactions from 8am to 5pm.

Services offered include renewal of motorcycle registration, issuance of new driver’s license, renewal of driver’s license, and issuance of student driver’s permit (SP).

During the opening ceremony, the office was able to cater Dustin Cayron, 52, a resident of Tuburan, Cebu, who decided to renew his driver’s license in Naga after learning of its inauguration on Thursday.

Extension office through PPP

LTO officials highlighted the benefits of this project from the private-public partnership (PPP) whose goal is to accommodate the public in terms of road readiness and safety.

The officials said that the new LTO-7 extension office was done through a PPP through Dave Baldoza, the private proponent, who owns a driving school in the city.

To make the extension office possible, Galario said that Baldoza submitted a letter of intent to the regional office then forwarded it to the central office for approval.

Baldoza then thanked the LTO officials for approving his request to construct the LTO-7 extension office, since he aimed to offer invaluable service to the transportation sector not just in Naga City but to in its neighboring municipalities such as Minglanilla and San Fernando.

“Thank you talaga sa opportunity na ibinigay niyo sa amin na makapag-serve dito sa City of Naga and its neighboring towns. Para ito sa hangarin po natin which is to provide services to serve the taong-bayan and to promote the advocacy of road-readiness and safety,” Baldoza said, addressing Mendoza.

Expansion of LTO services

According to Mendoza, the increasing number of offices across the region shows the rising economy and greater demand for the LTO to expand its services and to better accommodate thousands of riders in attaining their registrations.

“Ang ating expansion, shows talaga na yung ekonomiya ng Cebu, or Region 7 as a whole– lumalaki ang ekonomiya, lumalaki ang pangangailangan. The demand is greater which also requires more offices as compared to other regions,” said Mendoza.

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He also emphasized in the press conference that the quick action of building the offices was driven by the PPP which enabled the fast release of funds so as not to be solely reliant on the government.

“I-expand pa namin ‘yung aming services para mas lumalim ang aming penetration sa mga barangay-barangay,” he added.

Meanwhile, the opening of the new LTO-7 extension office in Naga City was “a testament” of the agency’s “continuous efforts and grit to enhance the accessibility and quality” of their services, according to Galario.

Aside from the extension office in Naga, the LTO here will soon open other extension offices in Bohol and in Consolacion, as well as a district office in Alcoy, Cebu.