THE Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Bacolod is set to transfer to its new office in Purok Manayawsayaw, Barangay Mansilingan on February 6, 2023, its chief, Renato Novero, said on Wednesday, February 1.
Novero said the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental has provided P33.3 million to LTO-Bacolod for their new building located at the one-hectare Capitol property.
He expressed gratitude to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and other Provincial Government officials for their new site.
He said that first to transfer on Monday, February 6, will be the Registration and Law Enforcement Department.
The Licensing section will stay at their old office at the Cottage Road for about two weeks, he said.
"On Friday, February 3, we would like to inform our clients that we will temporarily suspend our services on registration and law enforcement because we will transfer our computers to the new site and make sure our internet connectivity will be in place. By Monday, hopefully we will resume our services at our new office once our server will be fully operational," Novero said.
Novero said the Barangay Council of Mansilingan led by Punong Barangay Rodolfo Pico has already passed a resolution amending the Motorized Transport Operators Permit of tricycles operating at Paglaum Village so they can operate going to the office and set up a terminal near the area.
The resolution was already submitted to the Bacolod City Government.
Meanwhile, Novero appealed to Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez for assistance for the relocation of 15 informal settlers whose houses are inside the one-hectare area provided by the province to LTO.
"We would like to appeal to Mayor Albee because we don't have the capacity to relocate these residents," Novero said.
He said they have already talked to the residents and that they expressed willingness to vacate the area but are asking for relocation site.
"They are also asking consideration that their transfer be done during the end of the school year considering the education of their children," he said.
Novero said their transfer to the new office will decongest the traffic congestion at their old office at Cottage Road. "The traffic situation there has been chaotic," he said.
He also revealed that with the new office, the law enforcement department could already impose impounding of vehicles of violators.
"We have not fully implemented this because of lack of space for impounded vehicles. We only alarm the vehicles involved. So this will serve a reminder for those having unregistered vehicles and those committing offenses to be law abiding or else we will impound your vehicles," Novero said.