Is the Plastic 5 year license available now?

Just got back from LTO main office in town. Got there early 7:40 already a line of about 40 people. At 8:00 prompt a women came out and said something in Bisaya, not a clue what she said, so I went to the front asked about getting a plastic licence showed her the paper receipt and said to me are you a senior yes I said, she opened the door and said to the cute girl inside and said senior here. she gave me a form to fill in gave her the filled in form then told me to go to the next counter where they took foto and fingerprints, 5 minutes later got my plastic licence. Looked at the clock 8:13. RESULT.

 

So here's the upshot: I appeared at the Robinson's renewal center at about 6:45. There was a large group of people outside with no kind of line. A fellow told me he had arrived at 5. He thought that about 100 persons would get attended to. I thought, I cannot compete in a scrum to get a place inside; I'm no longer 20 y.o. fighting for a seat on a train in India. As I began to walk away, my new friend called out, "They are calling seniors ("senyors"). How he guessed I am a senior, I don't know; women are always telling me I look so young. Sure enough I was admitted with 6 or 8 others. We took seats in the front row in chairs marked "senior". Some like me had the info page filled out, others had only the proof of payment. After a bit a woman appeared at the counter with fingerprinting and photography. I showed her my papers and asked if I just "just wait". She took the papers and put them down in front of her. That seemed promising. She asked the other seniors for their papers and made a stack. I was first to be called, and was out before 7:30.

 

I've been delaying renewing my license so long because everytime I go and check its packed to the brim and as I'm not a senior I really don't care to waste my day due to their nonsense. I just hope they fix their crap soonish.

 

I’m US with a US license and on my first 6 month visa..I have the ID card. What else will I need to bring for my 5 year? Thx..your post was a big help!

 

I do believe you need a 12-month visa or more, But I had a Balik-Bayan stamp when I transferred my British License to a Filipino License.

 

• Duly accomplished Application for Driver's License
• Passport and copy of it
• original ACR (Alien Certificate of Registration) & copy of it. (available at Immigration Office)
• Permit (VISA & stamp) to stay in the country for at least five months and has already stayed in the country for at least one month
• Medical certificate
• Negative Drug Test result (Drug Test and medical can usually be done at some units near the LTO)