LTO relaunches Driver’s Education Center

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has relaunched its Driver’s Education Center (DEC), which will provide training for student drivers who cannot afford regular driving schools.

The LTO-National Capital Region West reopened its DEC last Thursday to provide road safety training for student drivers.

LTO-NCR West Director Roque Verzosa III said the center is open to qualified student driver applicants who may not be financially capable of availing themselves of services of regular driving schools.

The LTO requires a 15-hour theoretical driving course for all student drivers for their license application under Memorandum Circular 2019-2716.

Roque stressed the importance of road safety training so that accidents can be avoided, especially by new drivers.

He added that drivers should be trained to recognize risk and potential consequences and make the roads safer for the general public.

During the relaunch, 15 applicant drivers were able to avail themselves of the DEC’s free driving course.

LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said more applicants are expected to enroll at the center as the economy reopens.

The center was closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.