MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will begin 2016 with a new head to lead the agency hounded by controversy over the past year.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) executive director Roberto Cabrera will take over the LTO following the resignation of Alfonso Tan Jr, transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya confirmed.
"[He] voluntarily resigned in November, I think, because of family reasons," Abaya told Rappler in a text message.
Abaya said he had requested Tan to "hold on until a new appointment is made by the President."
He added that the appointment papers are expected to be received on Monday, January 4.
Tan has been head of the LTO since 2013, replacing the late Virgie Torres who retired from government service after figuring in a viral video showing her playing in a casino.
Cabrera, meanwhile, was a practicing lawyer before his appointment as LTFRB executive director last February 2013.
With his new post, Cabrera faces the task of steering an agency hounded by criticism over undelivered license plates and the backlog in driver's licenses.
Last year, the LTO mandated the replacement of old vehicle license plates with new ones as part of its plate standardization program, which it said was an effort to curb plate switching and removal.
But the program came under fire after many vehicle owners complained of waiting months to get their new car plates. Some lawmakers also questioned the deal with the license plate suppliers Power Plates Development Concepts Incorporated and Dutch firm J. Knieriem BV-Goes (PPI-JKG).
In July last year, the Commission on Audit stopped additional disbursement for the program.
The LTO is also facing problems with the delivery of driver's license cards, after a Manila court stopped the agency's license card deal with Allcard Plastics Philippines Inc. – Rappler.com