Earlier, there were reports that said the head of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) was considering scrapping its online portal because of cheaters. Today, LTO backtracked and clarified that the online portal won’t be abolished.
LTO Strategic Communications Office chief Divine Reyes released a statement, saying there are no plans of taking down the LTMS portal.
The clarification comes after reports of LTO chief Assistant Secretary Teofilo Guadiz III said he is considering abolishing the portal because 75 to 80 percent of those renewing their driver’s licenses are cheating.
Driver’s license applicants are required to take a 5-hour long online seminar and examination through the LTMS portal. Cheating happens when one person takes the mandated seminar, while another takes the online examination.
According to Reyes, Guadiz was actually referring to “abolishing or strengthening” the online exam portion of the driver’s license renewal process, and not taking down the whole portal.
See also: LTO extends driver’s license validity and car registration for one month
The LTO chief did acknowledge that the portal needs more security features, such as facial recognition, to minimize cheating incidents and to ensure that the applicant themselves are taking the exam.
“The portal should see the actual person doing the exam, the one who owns the driver’s license,” adds Guadiz.
