By LITO RULONA Correspondent LAND Transportation Office (LTO) regional director Oscar Salcedo yesterday revealed a plan to effect a revamp in the LTO in northern Mindanao in an effort to rid it of corruption, and in preparation for the issuances of driving licenses this year. Salcedo said the regionwide revamp is aimed at improving LTO’s services. He issued an inter-office memo, informing LTO officials and personnel of the impending revamp in a week’s time. The looming revamp would mainly affect key officials in the provincial and city offices of the LTO after the completion of an evaluation report. One of Salcedo’s reasons is to do away with graft and corruption in LTO offices in the region. “I am will also be implementing a policy against the giving of gifts kay kung nay hatag-hatag diha man gud mansugod gyud ang corruption,” Salcedo said. He also said the LTO offices in the region would soon end manual processing, and everything would be computerized. “The new set-up is in line with the new program for all the LTO offices throughout the region. Within a week, we will start the issuance of plastic driver’s licenses,” he said. Salcedo said the new licenses would first be availed by drivers who avail of the five- and three-year license registration program. The LTO has a backlog of about 200 thousand as a result of problems that  arose during the previous administration, he said. “Nag-prepare kami karon para dili magtapok dinhi sa among opisina. Although wala pa’y exact date, we would immediately announce it to the public once the materials arrive,” he said. Salcedo said their goal is to issue 200 licenses everyday throughout Region 10. Meanwhile, Salcedo announced that the LTO would soon apprehend drivers of “habal-habal” and private vehicles that are being used for public transport as part of the the Hapsay Highway campaign in the city. He said this would include the new forms of tricycles that are being used as public transportation. “Kini wala pa kini sila maegistered as public utility vehicles,” he said. He said the LTO would also start a smoke-belching campaign throughout the entire region. Salcedo said he was expecting new smoke-belching machines to be shipped into the city this week.