Breaking the back of 'fixers' culture

If there is one impactful benefit to come out of the government's digitalization program, it is breaking the back of the "fixer" culture.

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

Notoriously known in the past for the proliferation of "fixers" operating even within its own office premises, such culture was most prevalent in public transactions like those at the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay last Wednesday, LTO assistant secretary Vigor Mendoza II took pride in the strides in their campaign to put an end to the "fixer" system. Mendoza conceded the system of "fixers" has become an endemic malady at the LTO. Since he took over as LTO chief, Mendoza further stepped up their digitalization of the processes to remove "fixers" out of their nefarious presence in the two major revenue-generating functions of this agency. Mendoza also attributed to the increased online transactions the lessened face-to-face interactions or human contact, to minimize if not totally eliminate their twin evils of graft and corruption.

Attached under the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the LTO generated P33 billion in revenues last year out of fees and charges on motor vehicle registration and driver's licensing. Thus, LTO has been the fourth highest revenue-generating agency of the government. Albeit reluctantly, Mendoza conceded the LTO may need to raise a little bit their agency fees and charges starting next year.

Mendoza, a former party-list Congressman from the 1-United Transport Coalition, embarked on their digitalization program when he got appointed to head the LTO on July 25, 2023. In fact, he cited, the LTO is now in full steam ahead towards digitalization. "It will be a transformation year for the LTO in 2025 as we in the agency implement the digitalization program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.," Mendoza vowed.