Some senators questioned the 15-hour theoretical driving course being required for the issuance of driver’s license by the Land Transportation Office.
During the Senate deliberations on the proposed budget for the Department of Transportation on Monday, Senator Grace Poe said she acknowledges that drivers have to be knowledgeable and competent, however, she pointed out that in other countries, “you’re given a booklet that you can review prior to taking the test and then you take the written test afterwards and then you do one driving test.”
“I mean, why do they actually have to go through a program if they don’t need it? If they pass the written test and they also pass the practical driving test,” Poe said. “Maybe without even the 15-hour training program, the important thing is the credibility of the tests.”
Poe also said that when applicants take tests in the office of the Land Transportation Office, the answers are already posted there.
In August last year, the LTO said the required driving course completion certificates should be issued by LTO-accredited driving schools, authorized driving school instructors/administrators, and by LTO-Driver Education Centers (DECs) in LTO offices “which are ready to conduct the 15-hour driving course starting July 1, 2020.”
Senate President Vicente Sotto, for his part, said one only needs 15 minutes to prove that he or she can drive properly.
Meanwhile, Senator Ralph Recto said this could be another form of “red tape” in processing the driver’s license.
“My problem here is very notorious kasi sa DOTr ‘yung paghahanapbuhay, ‘yung nga ‘yung mga test, pwede ka magbayad para sagutin or whatever. So ito na naman, baka naman hanapbuhay na naman, ‘yan ang reklamo ng maraming kababayan natin,” Recto said.
“What we did in that law is to simplify para mabawasan ‘yung red tape para sa ordinaryong mamamayan,” he added. -NB, GMA News
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