LTO chief admits high complaints volume, vows swift resolution

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) acknowledged Monday that it remains one of the most complained-about government agencies in the country, but officials argued it also maintains one of the highest rates for resolving those grievances.

LTO Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao made the remarks during a radio interview after the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) identified the LTO and the Social Security System as frequent targets of public dissatisfaction.

“First of all, we accept all of these complaints,” Lacanilao said. “We need to double our efforts to fix and reform the LTO and address the complaints.”

Lacanilao attributed a portion of the complaints to applicants failing to meet documentary requirements.

He cited that some individuals attempt to use village-level barangay clearances for student permit applications rather than the legally required valid identification cards or birth certificates.

The official also stressed that the agency’s crackdown on loud motorcycle exhausts and illegal vehicle modifications often leads to friction with the public.

“It cannot be avoided that some people get angry at us because we really need to act on violations,” he said.

While acknowledging the volume of grievances, Lacanilao maintained that the agency is highly responsive.

“If you notice, we may be number one in complaints, but we are also number one in resolving them,” he added. “Our resolution rate is high, and we are among the fastest agencies to resolve complaints.”

The agency is also continuing an internal cleanup to eliminate corruption. Lacanilao revealed that authorities recently arrested a “major fixer” operating across Central and Northern Luzon in a joint operation with police.

Additionally, four LTO employees in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, were recently dismissed for alleged involvement in fixing activities. Personnel linked to previous raids at the LTO office in Quezon City’s Centris were also removed.

“It does not stop with the fixers themselves,” Lacanilao said. “Even their contacts inside the agency are being removed.”