Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will soon have the convenience of renewing their driver’s licenses online, eliminating the need to return to the Philippines to claim them.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced the launch of the OFW Driver’s License Renewal Program on Friday, June 7. This initiative will allow OFWs to access an online platform for license renewal, aiming for a pilot run starting in July.
“We will launch [the program],” stated LTO chief Vigor Mendoza in a Rappler report. “Through that, they will put in all their necessary data, which will go to the LTO. The licenses will be printed here in the Philippines, but through the portal, they will choose whichever courier they want to use, and the courier will send it to them.”
To qualify for the renewal, OFWs must have a valid license that has not been expired for more than two years, and they will need to provide biometric data. Mendoza mentioned that the Department of Transportation plans to collaborate with the Department of Foreign Affairs to utilize biometric data collected during passport applications.
Initially, the portal will focus on the renewal service for OFWs, with potential expansion to other services in the future. Presently, the LTO’s Land Transportation Management System allows for online renewals but requires applicants to collect their licenses in person at an LTO branch in the Philippines.
While Mendoza did not specify the exact demand for this service, he emphasized its significance for Filipinos working as drivers abroad, noting the reciprocity agreements the Philippines has with various countries.
Addressing concerns over past issues with plastic card shortages, Mendoza assured that the LTO is prepared to handle the influx of online applications from OFWs. “We have enough [plastic cards]. In fact, our planning is for 2025 already…. The planning projection is more than enough to cater for 2024. We’re expecting a surplus for 2025, first two months. But with this project, we’re already budgeting around a million cards for this,” he said.