The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will soon issue temporary driver’s licenses printed on paper as the agency faces a shortage in the supply of plastic cards.

This was announced by LTO Chief Jose Art 'Jay Art' Tugade in a press conference on Thursday, April 20.

“We'll be using paper tapos doon sa paper, we’ll be printing the OR [official receipt] ng driver’s license,” he said.

Tugade said there will be a unique Quick Response (QR) code printed in the OR for law enforcers to validate its legitimacy and authenticity.

LTO Chief Jay Art Tugade sa mauubos ng plastic card para sa lisensya: “We’ll be using paper. We’ll be printing the OR ng driver’s license. Meron siyang QR code. That is one way for law enforcers to validate whether or not the OR is legitimate and authentic” | @dzrhnews

🎥: LTO https://t.co/O6ieJTrSGC pic.twitter.com/oLwpv1r9V4

— Christian Maño (@xtian_mano) April 20, 2023

He noted that those who could not present the physically printed temporary driver’s license can still show a digital copy of it to any law enforcers.

“Pwede pong picture-ran iyan, save niyo po sa phone niyo. ‘Yung QR code, once na picture-ran niyo sa phone niyo, pwede pa ring ma-activate,” Tugade said.

LOOK: Sample ng temporary driver's license na gagamitin ng LTO dahil sa pagkaubos ng 'plastic cards' na ginagamit sa pag-iimprenta ng lisensya sa pagmamaneho | @dzrhnews

📸: LTO pic.twitter.com/jK06uJyGjf

— Christian Maño (@xtian_mano) April 20, 2023

According to the LTO chief, the shortage of plastic cards is a “nationwide problem” at the moment.

“Merong offices sa NCR [National Capital Region], meron pang plastic cards at meron naman pong ibang offices na wala na pong plastic cards,” he added.

Tugade said there are currently 147,000 plastic cards available nationwide and they expect that this will last until the end of April.