Aspiring drivers who can’t enrol in accredited driving schools may take the mandatory 15-hour seminar at the training centers of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for a fee, according to an official.
During the Department of Transportation’s ‘Transport Talks’ on Monday, LTO chief Edgar Galvante said the agency will offer the 15-hour training program to applicants as an option to those who don’t have the means to enrol in driving schools. The training will not be offered for free, however.
“Ito po ay hindi libre. Bigyan po natin ito ng kaukulang atensyon kasi kadalasan po pag libre ay hindi masyadong pinapansin. Kaya somehow magco-contribute sila para bigyan nila ng halaga ang proseso na ‘yun,” Galvante said.
Meanwhile, Galvante said that the mandatory training will only focus on lessons about traffic rules and regulations and won’t include a practical examination.
“Marami po ang ang nagsasabi na marunong naman silang mag-drive pero hindi marunong magbasa. Ang sagot po namin dyan, ‘marunong naman sila magbasa, hindi lang sila marunong sumunod,’” Galvante said.
The agency earlier said that aspiring drivers will have to undergo 15 hours of training in accredited driving schools before they can secure a student driver’s permit.
Galvante also said that those seeking to secure a professional driver’s license will now have to apply for a non-professional license first, train for about a year, and pass their theoretical and practical exams before they can legally drive public utility vehicles.
As for the driver’s license validity, Galvante said that not all applicants who will be renewing their license by 2021 will be eligible for 10-year validity. He said that the period will depend on the demerit system or on the number of infractions that the driver has committed over the years.