LTO: Safety of riding public considered in strictermeasures for licenses

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Safety of the riding public was taken into consideration when the Department of Transportation and Communication issued its order requiring more documents in applying for driver’s licenses.

“How can it be a money-making scheme?” retorted Director Mario Singzon of the Land Transportation Office-6 in response to public criticisms that the order was but another way of extracting money from drivers.

Last September 22, LTO issued Administrative Order No. AVT-2015-029 (Revised Rules and Regulations Governing the Issuance of Professional Driver’s Licenses and Conductor’s Licenses), requiring applicants for driver’s licenses to get clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police, with official receipts, on top of the usual medical clearance and their current license in case of renewal.

The NBI and police clearances were needed to prove that the applicant has not been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude or reckless imprudence resulting from reckless driving, said Singzon of the order that took effect on November 9.

“I think it is important (the clearances) because there have been a lot of accidents involving drivers of public utility vehicles that are allegedly under the influence of drugs and other substances. We just wanted to protect our riding public,” Singzon said.

“Who doesn’t want a fit and capable driver navigating our public transport services, right?” asked Singzon, adding that professional driver-applicants, who have accrued two or more citations for reckless driving within the license validity period, shall be disqualified.

For those who are holding professional driver’s license but are not driving public utility vehicles, Singzon advised them to just downgrade their license to non-professional.

Aside from the order’s stringent guidelines the LTO would reward also law-abiding motorists, under the DOTC’s merit system, which entitles a license-holder, who has not been cited for any violation within three years, to apply for a five-year validity period upon renewal, said Singzon.

In Iloilo City, Singzon said the LTO has been in talks with the Iloilo City government to come up with a memorandum of understanding linking the agency with the city’s Transportation Management and Traffic Regulation Office in motorists’ apprehensions.

The LTO added that it will no longer limit the acceptance of medical certificates to accredited doctors stationed at the LTO offices, but also to any licensed and practicing physicians.

Singzon said the LTO also raised the minimum age for license applicants, such that one applying for a student permit should now be 17 years old, up from the previous minimum age of 16. For non-professional licenses, the applicant should now be at least 18 years old, up from the previous requirement of 17.

“It was determined that 16 years old is too young and that 18 years old is the age of maturity,” he said.

Singzon further said applicants should not wait for the last days before renewing their licenses. “They could renew 30 days before their license’s expiration. I think that would give them ample time to process their requirements including the NBI and police clearances,” he added. (FREEMAN)