DRIVERS who used to have their licensing-related transactions in the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on N. Bacalso Ave. may now have to go to the northern part of Cebu City as the agency opened its new licensing office at Piazza Elesia on Gov. M. Cuenco Ave. in Barangay Talamban on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, together with some LTO 7 officials, led the grand opening of the new licensing office.
LTO Regional Office Licensing Section chief Chris Ferraren, in an interview with SunStar Cebu’s news and commentary online program Beyond the Headlines on Wednesday, April 24, said licensing transactions, including renewal of driver’s license, student’s permit, license duplication and LTO certification of Philippine driving license for Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) authentication are now transferred to the new office in Talamban.
The new licensing office, which is named as Malasakit Regional Licensing Office, is expected to cater up to 60 clients in one seating capacity.
Ferraren said the new licensing office aims to cater to everyone, unlike its old licensing office wherein only clients from special sectors like the overseas Filipino workers (OFW), senior citizens, persons with disability and government employees are accommodated.
He said he is only waiting for the order coming from the central office to implement this new policy.
Ferraren said the LTO building located at N. Bacalso Ave., near the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT), is now being used for the agency’s operations division.
The building will also now be used as a venue for seminars for those who will be undergoing theoretical examination and for apprehended individuals.
Mendoza said LTO 7 Director Glen Galario was not present during the opening as he was attending his induction in Manila to assume his role as a full-fledged regional head of the office.
Other licensing offices of LTO are located in Robinsons Galleria Cebu along Gen. Maxilom Ave. corner Sergio Osmeña Blvd. in Barangay Tejero, and in SM Seaside City at the South Road Properties.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said last March that he wants the offices of the Bureau of Fire Protection and LTO to move out from their current location.
Rama said he intends to use the area as a complex for medical arts, wellness, diabetes, heart, cancer centers of Cebu City Medical Center, along with Cebu City’s command center. / KJF, JJL