CEBU, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Central Visayas is expected to start issuing licenses with a 10-year validity on December 1.
The office is now in the process of auditing all its offices in preparation for the roll-out of the 10-year driver’s license in the region.
“We are waiting for the final office orders but there’s a strong chance nga December 1 ang LTO-7 will be able to initially start issuing the 10-year license cards,” LTO-7 Regional Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec said in a statement.
He said they are checking on the capabilities and equipment of their offices in facilitating the said service and familiarizing the new system.
He said drivers with clean records are eligible for the 10-year license.
Under Republic Act No. 10930, which amended the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, a driver can only get a 10-year driver’s license if the “holder of a professional and nonprofessional driver’s license who has not committed any violation of Republic Act No. 4136 and other traffic laws, rules and regulations.”
Aside from passing the examination at any LTO office for the renewal of a driver’s license, all renewing applicants shall undergo the Comprehensive Driver’s Education to get a CDE Certificate.
The CDE Online Validation Exam is readily available to all applicants for free at the LTO Portal (portal.lto.gov.ph) and LTO offices through its Driver’s Education Centers.
The same refresher course will also be available at the LTO-Accredited Driving Schools where fees may be applicable.
LTO-7 added that renewing applicants should pass at least 50 percent or 13 correct answers out of the 25 questions to get the CDE certificate.
Before taking the exam, one should pre-register at the LTO Portal.
The regional director also clarified that passing both the CDE Exam and the mandatory examination for renewal of driver’s license, will not automatically guarantee a 10-year Driver’s License card.
Under Section 9 of RA 10930, “LTO shall institutionalize a point system which shall be used to assess the fitness and eligibility of driver applicants for their desired license transactions.”
“The system shall likewise be utilized as the primary tool to identify, deter, and penalize repeat offenders of traffic laws and ordinances. The LTO shall establish and maintain a registry where demerit points incurred by every driver shall be recorded, stored, and accessed for convenient monitoring,” read Section 9 of RA 10930.
Caindec said if the renewing applicant has previous violations in the last five years, they may only be given the 5-year driver’s license validity or may undergo a mandatory driver’s reorientation course. —KQD (FREEMAN)