MANILA, Philippines – Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Member of Parliament Abdulbasit Benito experienced a temporary delay during the check-in process at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after his driver’s license issued by the Land Transportation Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (LTO-BARMM) was not immediately recognized by the airport’s identity verification system.
According to Benito, airport personnel requested an additional valid identification after his LTO-BARMM driver’s license underwent further verification to determine whether it was authentic and officially authorized.
The lawmaker explained that he was unable to present another government-issued ID because his Bangsamoro Transition Authority employee identification card had been left behind during a previous trip through NAIA, while another identification card was with his staff at the time of travel.
Benito also noted that airport personnel observed that his driver’s license had a design different from the standard licenses commonly issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO), prompting them to conduct additional verification before allowing him to proceed.
Following the verification process, airport authorities confirmed that the LTO-BARMM-issued driver’s license was legitimate, enabling Benito to complete his check-in and continue with his flight. Although the delay was only temporary, the incident highlighted what the lawmaker described as a continuing lack of awareness among frontline personnel regarding the validity of driver’s licenses issued by the Bangsamoro regional government.
Benito said the matter is not new, recalling that the recognition of BARMM-issued driver’s licenses has already been discussed in previous public hearings attended by officials from the Department of Transportation (DOTr). Despite those discussions, he believes information dissemination remains insufficient, resulting in confusion among personnel responsible for identity verification.
He stressed that the Bangsamoro Land Transportation Office has the legal authority to issue driver’s licenses within the autonomous region and that these licenses should be readily recognized by government agencies and frontline service providers across the country.
The lawmaker warned that similar incidents could inconvenience other travelers from the Bangsamoro region if awareness is not improved, particularly those who rely on their LTO-BARMM driver’s license as their primary government-issued identification.
In light of the incident, Benito urged concerned agencies to strengthen information campaigns and orientation programs for airport personnel and other frontline government workers to ensure that BARMM-issued driver’s licenses are properly recognized and accepted during identity verification procedures.
He emphasized that enhancing awareness among personnel would help prevent unnecessary delays, reduce inconvenience for travelers, and reinforce public confidence in government-issued identification documents from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the need for stronger coordination between national government agencies and BARMM institutions to ensure seamless recognition of official documents issued by the autonomous region, particularly as more Bangsamoro residents travel and transact outside BARMM.