The concept of land transportation system in the Philippines started when our ancestorsinvented the means of locomotion with the animals in moving people and goods fromplace to place.Although the means of land transportation during the early days werenot as sophisticated as the modern vehicles of today and the roads not as wellconstructed, the early Filipinos also observed some laws to govern their mobility.Theselaws were as informal and simple as specifying which animal could be used for certainpurposes but these showed that our ancestors had already felt the need to regulatethe transportation system.
As early as 1910, there were already few motor vehicles seen operating in publichighways in Manila and suburbs.
Better means of transportation were invented and introduced in the country. Gradually,the Filipinos learned to use cars, trucks, jeeps and other types of vehicles.The meansof transportation became better and powerful and the laws governing land travelbecame more formal and modern.
On February 6, 1912, Legislative Act No. 2159 was enacted to regulate motor vehiclesin the Philippine Islands and to provide for the regulation and licensing of operators.This was the first formal law on land transportation passed by the legislature.This lawcreated an Automobile Section under the Administrative Division of the Bureau of PublicWorks. The Section was tasked to take charge of motor vehicles and drivers’ services.
Later on, Legislative Act 2159 was amended by 2389, 2556, 2587, 2639 and 2925.In 1922, Act No. 3045 was passed into law compiling and incorporating all lawsgoverning motor vehicles.The Automobile Section was upgraded to the AutomobileDivision under the Bureau of Public Works.
On January 1, 1933, Act No. 3992 otherwise known as “The Revised Motor VehicleLaw” was enacted amending Act No. 3045.The Automobile Division was renamedDivision of Motor Vehicles.The Chief of the Division was called the Superintendent ofDivision of Motor Vehicles.Act No. 3992 was amended by Commonwealth ActNumbers 123, 548, 556, 652 and Republic Act Numbers 314, 587, and 2383.
On June 2, 1945, Department Order No. 4 was issued by the Department of PublicWorks and Highways reorganizing the Division.This took effect after the liberation ofthe Philippines from the Japanese invasion.In 1947, Executive Order No. 94 waspromulgated reorganizing the different executive departments, bureaus and offices.Under Section 82 of this E.O., the Division of Motor Vehicles was upgraded into theMotor Vehicles Office (MVO) with the category of a Bureau.The Chief of the MVOenjoyed the rights and privileges of a Bureau Director.
During the fifties and early sixties, our country started undergoing rapid economicdevelopment.Industrialization advanced and as a consequence, more and better roadswere constructed.The Filipino then realized the need for more and better means oftransportation.The growth in the number of motor vehicles increased the demand forservices that the MVO must render to the public.This necessitated the issuance by theDPWH on June 5, 1961 of Administrative Regulation No. 1 transferring the function ofcollecting the registration fees from city treasurers to the various vehicle agencies ofMVO.
On June 20, 1964, R.A. 4136, otherwise known as the “Land Transportation and TrafficCode” was enacted abolishing the Motor Vehicle Office and creating the LandTransportation Commission.This law likewise partially repealed Act No. 3992. TheCode provided that the Land Transportation Commission shall “control as far as theyapply, the registration and operation of motor vehicles and the licensing of owners,dealers, conductors, drivers and similar matters.”To effectively carry out its mandate,the Land Transportation Commission established regional offices in various parts of thecountry.
On July 23, 1979, Executive Order Number 546 was promulgated creating the Ministryof Transportation and Communications (MOTC).This marked reorganization.TheLand Transportation Commission was renamed Bureau of Land Transportation and wasabsorbed by MOTC.
On June 2, 1980, Batas Pambansa Bilang 43 was passed providing for the issuance ofpermanent number plates to owners of motor vehicles and trailers, amending for thepurpose section 17 of RA 4136.
On March 20, 1985, Executive Order 1011 was promulgated.This Executive Orderabolished the Board of Transportation and the Bureau of Land Transportation andestablished the Land Transportation Commission.The defunct BLT and BOT weremerged and their powers, functions and responsibilities were transferred to the LandTransportation Commission (LTC) headed by a Chairman, assisted by fourCommissioners.The LTC was tasked to perform functions such as registering motorvehicles, licensing of drivers and conductors, franchising of public utility vehicles andenforcing traffic rules and regulations and adjudicating apprehensions.On January 30, 1987, the Land Transportation Commission was abolished and twooffices were created, namely:The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the LandTransportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).The LTO took over thefunctions of the former BLT and the LTFRB took over the functions of the former BOT.The MOTC was likewise renamed DOTC.
All these changes took effect with the promulgation of Executive Order No. 125 whichwas later amended by Executive Orders No. 125-A dated April 13, 1987 and E.O. 226dated July 25, 1987.Despite the changes in names of Office and all the reorganizations that took effect, itsbasic functions on land transportation system remain the same.The promotion ofsafety and comfort in land travel is its continuing commitment.When Executive Orders 125, 125-A and 226 were promulgated, LTO was composed ofonly thirteen (13) regions.As time went on, additional regions were created, namely:CAR, CARAGA and MIMAROPA.While CAR and CARAGA are attached to the DOTC,they report to LTO Central Office on matters of registration of motor vehicles, issuanceof driver’s licenses and enforcement of land transportation laws, rules and regulations.
The LTO is now composed of the following regions:
- Region I – Aguila Road, Brgy. Sevilla, San Fernando City, La Union
- Region II – San Gabriel, Tuguegarao, Cagayan
- Region III – Brgy. Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga
- Region IVA – Old City Hall Compound, Lipa City
- Region IVB – MIMAROPA – LTO Compd., East Avenue, QC.
- Region V – Regional Govt. Center Site, Rawis, Legaspi City
- Region VI – Tabuc-Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City
- Region VII – Natalio Bacalso Avenue, Cebu City
- Region VIII – Old Army Road, Tacloban City
- Region IX – Veterans Ave., Zamboanga City/Balangasan St., Pagadian
- Region X – MVIS Compound, Zone 7, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City
- Region XI – Quimpo Blvd., Davao City
- Region XII – ARMM Compound, Cotabato City/No. 79 G. Del Pilar St., Koronadal City,South Cotabato
- National Capital Region (NCR) – Delta Bldg., Mirasol St., Cubao, QC
- Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) – Engineer’s Hill, Baguio City/2nd Flr., PostOffice Loop, Session Road, Baguio City
- CARAGA – Capitol Avenue, Butuan City
- Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) – DSWD Bldg., ARMM Complex,Cotabato city
The volume of transactions at LTO has grown so fast without increasing the manpower,hence to meet the public’s demand, LTO introduced the computerization of itstransactions sometime in 1998.To date, almost all LTO Offices are computerizedexcept those with manpower, telecommunications and security issues.
