A LAWMAKER has expressed her full support for the efforts of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to fully digitize its processes and operations by the third quarter of 2023.

“The LTO can be assured of our full support in its push towards complete digitalization in a bid to streamline its operations and services for the benefit of the public,” House Deputy Minority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera said.

“We are confident that with complete digitalization and paperless transactions, the LTO will be able to realize its goal of becoming a frontline agency showcasing fast and efficient public service for a progressive land transport sector,” she added.

At the same time, Herrera thanked and applauded the House Committee on Transportation, chaired by Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop, for heeding her request to require Stradcom to turnover their database to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

“Because of this, very soon, the government no longer needs to pay two IT providers,” Herrera pointed out.

“Good news po ito sapagkat last year pa natin ipinaglalaban na gumawa ng paraan ang pamahalaan na makatipid at huwag nang magbayad ng bilyon-bilyong piso pa sa dalawang IT suppliers,” she added.

In 1998, the LTO commissioned Stradcom on a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) deal to develop and operate the agency’s IT system.

Based on the agreement, Stradcom had the exclusive rights to provide IT services to the then Department of Transportation and Communications now DOTr and the LTO, and owned the IT facilities and all other equipment, fixtures and fittings used in connection with such services.

Stradcom was responsible for and bore all costs incurred by in connection with performance of its obligations under the agreement.

In 2016 or after 18 years, the DOTr and Stradcom entered into a phaseout deal committing to terminate the BOO project upon the procurement, award, design, development, rollout and completion of the new LTMS.

Two years later, the LTO awarded the LTMS project to Dermalog to the tune of P3.2 billion.

At the recent House hearing, the Acop-led panel directed Stradcom to transfer all relevant data to the government through the DICT.

Stradcom told the panel that it would need 7 months to complete the database transfer but the DICT insisted that 60 days should be enough.