The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said it has reduced the number of fixers and problematic driving schools nationwide.

In a radio interview, Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said the agency’s monitoring operations have been effective, citing the arrest of a fixer in Region 1 who was allegedly among the most wanted fixers in Region 3.

“We caught him. He was posted on our LTO page and we had been monitoring him for a long time. We had already received reports about him before,” Lacanilao said.

Aside from apprehending fixers, the LTO is also monitoring driving schools that fail to comply with proper operating procedures.

The agency has shut down 12 driving schools in the National Capital Region and five in Region 5.

Lacanilao said the primary issue involving fixers concerns vehicle registration, with some private emission testing centers allegedly validating fraudulent documents.

He said fixers usually earn between P500 and P1,000 per vehicle.

“They really need to bring it there, so the company also gets implicated because we can see the records. There is also one large company, Telecomm, which we are currently investigating,” he said.

Lacanilao added that while the LTO remains one of the most complained-about agencies due to its strict regulations, it continues to maintain efficiency in resolving issues.