Republic of the Philippines

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIVED “A
Quezon City, Metro Manila 04 JUL 2013

Sixteenth Congress \
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._11.29

Introduced by Honorable Lucy Torres-Gomez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill aims to require the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to
open its offices on Saturdays to enable drivers nationwide to claim their
licenses which have been confiscated on account of violations of traffic rules
and regulations.

The difficulty of drivers in claiming their licenses from the LTO is of
common knowledge. Drivers, especially those who are daily wage earners,
are much prejudiced by the system since it usually takes about one (1) whole
day to process the release of their licenses. And this even assumes that the
confiscated licenses have been immediately turned-over to the LTO by the
concerned traffic enforcer. In turn, this bureaucratic maze becomes a
breeding ground for corruption specially when drivers try to resort to bribery
in order to shorten or expedite the process.

One plausible remedy is to mandate the LTO to open its offices on
Saturdays to allow drivers who might be free during the weekend to attend
to the recovery of their licenses. This would also help drivers whose licenses
have been confiscated either on a Thursday or a Friday to retrieve their
licenses on Saturday without needing to wait until the next Monday or
Tuesday for the LTO to resume official business.

Under this bill, there is no need for the LTO to recruit additional
personnel to implement the provision of this Act inasmuch as the existing
plantilla would be tapped to do Saturday duty. Neither would this bill entail
the payment of overtime compensation since it would only involve the
rationalization of LTO's present human resources with the end in view of



creating special shifts that would render weekend duty. In short, the existing
40-hour workweek would be respected among LTO personnel.

Hence, the early approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

LUCY T; ES-


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 11.29

Introduced by Honorable Lucy Torres-Gomez

AN ACT

MANDATING THE LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE (LTO) TO
OPEN ITS BRANCHES / OFFICES ON SATURDAYS TO SERVICE
THE PUBLIC NEED
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to
provide access to an essential service to the general public, particularly in

the matter of claiming of licenses by drivers from the various offices or

branches of Land Transportation Office (LTO) nationwide during Saturdays.

SEC. 2. Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act,
the LTO shall rationalize its human resources in order to create special shifts
that would man its various offices or branches throughout the country on
Saturdays, for the express purpose of processing releases of licenses of

drivers which have been confiscated by traffic enforcers. No additional


personnel shall be hired or recruited for the implementation of the provisions
of this Act. Neither would overtime compensation be considered for LTO
personnel who would render duty during Saturdays. LTO staff who shall
render duty during Saturdays shall retain their right to the same number of
days off allowable to government personnel in general before the effectivity

of this Act.

SEGZ3. The Head — Assistant Secretary of the LTO, in
coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC), shall immediately include in the LTO's program
the operationalization of the Saturday offices of the agency, the funding of

which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC.4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

completion of its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.