Transport, consumer groups urge Marcos to replace LTO Chief over corruption allegations
ANGELES CITY— Philippine transport groups and consumer advocates collectively urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to remove Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza from his post in a push for reform.
The Coalition for Good Governance, an alliance of leaders across transport and consumer sectors, submitted two letters to Marcos on January 25 and February 6 early this year, requesting Mendoza’s removal.
Mendoza has yet to respond to the allegations, and Marcos has not commented on the calls for Mendoza’s removal, leaving the LTO’s leadership under scrutiny.
The letters state the alleged increase in anomalies within the LTO and reference to “dubious practices” allegedly tied to the agency’s top leadership.
The groups assert that Mendoza’s leadership has worsened operational issues, citing corruption allegations and operational inefficiencies, including claims of additional fees.
The coalition said that the LTO has imposed extra “computer fees” for vehicle registration, a cost transport leaders argue is unwarranted and burdensome for Filipino drivers.
The group also said that the agency permits the registration of vehicles that lack the required insurance policies, even allowing registrations with fake insurance or no proper inspection. This, they said, compromises road safety and reflects poorly on the regulatory oversight at the LTO.
Much of the concern centers on the continued use of Stradcom’s motor vehicle inspection and registration system (MVIRS), which the coalition believes should be completely phased out.
Stradcom’s contract with the LTO expired several years ago. However, the system remains partially operational under a “phaseout agreement.”
In December 2021, then-LTO assistant secretary Edgar Galvante issued a memorandum mandating the decommissioning of Stradcom’s driver’s license module. This directive required driving schools and medical clinics to submit data exclusively through the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS), a government-owned platform intended to replace Stradcom’s system.
The government’s efforts to upgrade the LTO’s technology infrastructure have been substantial, investing an estimated P7.9 billion in the LTMS online portal. This platform is intended to streamline operations across the LTO’s offices nationwide for a smoother experience for both drivers and administrators.
Despite this investment, the coalition argues that the phaseout process has been too slow, allowing Stradcom’s systems to persist when they should have been fully retired. The group contends that the delay continues to expose the LTO to unnecessary inefficiencies and possible corruption.
Among the signatories advocating for Mendoza’s removal are Federation of Land Transport Operators of the Philippines president Diolito Inosanto, Philippines Transport Monitor vice president Martin delos Angeles, and Augusto Lagman, an information technology practitioner and road safety advocate who also serves as a board director of the Automobile Association of the Philippines.
Their group expressed frustration with the LTO’s reliance on what it described as “outdated and inefficient” technology and questioned why the agency continues to utilize Stradcom’s systems despite the investment in LTMS, a modern platform owned by the government.
The coalition also expressed concerns about the transparency of the agency’s operations under Mendoza. They believe that reforming the LTO’s leadership could help address these issues and restore public confidence in the agency’s ability to effectively oversee transportation safety and compliance.
Transport advocates also hope the Marcos will take action to resolve the controversy, which they argue has significant implications for both governance and public safety.
No official statement from the LTO as of press time.