Driving school owners express concerns over proposed regulations 

Remarie Wilbur Legados of Best Driving School expresses his concern over proposed regulations of the Land Transportation Office. CDN Digital photo | Irene R. Sino Cruz

CEBU CITY—While driving school owners general welcome the move of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to regulate their operations, some express concerns over the provisions of the draft memorandum circular.

Read: LTO pushes new rules for driving schools, instructors

Remarie Wilbur Legados, owner of Best Driving School, told CDN Digital that generally, he welcomed the proposed regulations, which seeks to ensure standardization of trainings for applicants of student driver’s permit and driver’s license.

“The system is okay but there are some defects,” Legados said in a phone interview.

He noted that the small driving schools would have difficulty coming up with additional investment for the training facilities, such as a larger-sized classroom, 24-square-meter minimum dimension, with desktop computers and closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs).

Aside from these, the proposed memorandum circular requires that classrooms have ‘automotive components and parts assemblies that are guides in teaching basic automotive servicing.’

According to Legados, these would require around P3-million investment. 

“I doubt if 80 percent (of existing driving schools) can comply with these requirements. Only the big companies can do that,” he said. 

He even mentioned that he may have to go abroad again to find work if their business would not work out due to the new regulations.

Also, they would have difficulty finding qualified driving instructors because of they would be required to pass the neuropsychiatric test, which would be administered by government-accredited entities. 

Usually, he added that the government requires this test only for those who want to own guns.

Roge Gimena, co-owner of Asian Driving School, also aired some concerns over the proposed regulations. 

“I am in favor of the move to regulate but there’s a need for further study and consultation with the driving schools,” Gimena said.

He revealed that they have invested almost P1-million for their simulator driving technology, which has been used abroad for the training of drivers.

Both Legados and Gimena noted that the time required for practical driving, which is six hours, would not be enough for a student to learn actual driving.

Gimena said they offer 10 hours of practical driving.

The two also asked that LTO and local governments help driving schools by providing a common maneuvering area or driving range that they could use in training student-drivers.

Gimena also noted that the required size of the maneuvering area, which is 14 meters x14 meters, would not be enough.

A driving range should have enough space for different types of maneuvers, such as downhill and uphill driving, he added.

For his part, Teodolfo Jadia Jr., chief executive officer of the Jadia-Gador group of companies, said he welcomed and supports the proposal.

“Drivers have to recognize that lives are at stake,” said Jadia, whose company also operates a driving school.

Legados, however, expressed hope that they would be given longer time to prepare for the full implementation of the proposed regulations. /bmjo