IN the past, renewing a driver's license often felt like navigating a web of bureaucracy at the Land Transportation Office (LTO), which became notorious for fixers and red tape. However, significant changes have swept through the LTO in recent years, aimed at reviving its tarnished reputation and streamlining its operations.

As part of its new information technology (IT) project, the government has implemented a modernized system at the LTO, revolutionizing the license renewal process. This computerized system has dramatically reduced renewal times to under an hour, a stark improvement over the cumbersome procedures of the past.