Cong. Barbers wants additional LTO driving seminar and tests

Bill filed in congress for additional seminar, driving tests for all drivers

“To say that the traffic condition in the Philippines’ highly urbanized cities is an understatement...Uneducated drivers contribute to traffic congestion as traffic rules and regulations are blatantly ignored, consequently compounding the traffic problem.”

This is the statement of Surigao del Norte 2nd District representative, Cong. Robert Ace Barbers on his explanatory note when he filed House Bill (HB) 1544. If it becomes a law, all drivers, new or old, are required to undergo a mandatory seminar and driving test at the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Roadworthy Driving Seminar for All Drivers Act

Under Section 4 of HB 1544, all drivers – new driver’s license applicants and those who are renewing their driver’s licenses – shall undergo the mandatory roadworthy driving seminar and actual driving test. This means, that even if you are already a driver’s license holder since President Bong Bong Marcos Jr.’s father was still in office, you will still need to attend the 3-hour seminar and undergo a 30-minute driving test with the LTO.

A certificate will be issued if an applicant or a driver renewing his driver’s license passed the test.

Additional fees to be paid by Juan Dela Cruz

Under Section 8 of HB 1544, for successful applicants, “the cost of the seminar and actual driving test shall be incorporated in the license fee, which shall be determined by the Head of the Land Transportation Office.”

For those who will fail the test, a fee of not less than PHP 500 but not more than PHP 1,000 shall be paid by the applicant. Additionally, the proposed law did not specify if the mandatory seminar and driving test are one-time only or are going to be an additional process for every renewal at the LTO.

You can read the full text of HB 1544 here.

RA 10930

Back in 2017, Republic Act 10930 was signed into law. The law, not only extends the validity of driver’s licenses but also required the LTO to formulate stricter requirements in the issuance of driver’s licenses.

Applicants of new driver’s licenses, as well as those who are renewing their driver’s licenses, must undergo a FREE Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) and Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) seminar, respectively. The TDC and CDE are not free when taken at an LTO-accredited driving school.

Attendance and completion of a Practical Driving Course (PDC) will only be required for those who are applying for a new driver’s license and those who already have one but want to add a restriction code.