Vehicles pile up at Natalio Bacalso Avenue on the first day of implementation of the General Community Quarantine in Cebu City. | CDND file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) will start on December 1 the processing and issuance of driver’s licenses that will already be valid for 10 years.
In a statement, the LTO-7 said they are now conducting an audit of their different offices to prepare for the start of the program’s rollout in the region.
They had to determine the capability of their offices to work on the processing and issuance of driver’s licenses that will already be valid for 10 years, says LTO-7 Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec.
Caindec said that while he is yet to received official communication from their central office to already start with the program’s rollout here, he decide to already make a public announcement on the matter to especially advise applicants on the documentary requirements and the corresponding fees.
The issuance of driver’s licenses with a 10-year validity officially started on October 28. But LTO-7 was not included in the list of pilot areas for its official rollout on Oct. 28 and Nov. 3 respectively.
“We are waiting for the final office orders but there’s a strong chance nga [by] December 1, ang LTO region 7 will be able to initially start issuing the 10-years license cards,” Caindec said.
“We are also checking on the state of all the computers as well as starting our familiarization with the new system,” he added.
Application Fee
The on-time renewal for standard professional and non-professional driver’s license cost P585. This still does not include the P67.63 computer fee and the penalties that will be imposed on late renewals that will range from P75 to P225.
Aside from having to pass the LTO examination, applicants will also be made to undergo Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) to get a CDE certificate.
The CDE Online Validation Exam may be accessed for free using the LTO portal (portal.lto.gov.ph) and by visiting the different LTO offices through its Driver’s Education Centers.
The same refresher course is also available in LTO-accredited driving schools but for a fee.
Before they will be allowed to take the exam, applicants will be asked to pre-register using the LTO portal.
Renewing applicants should get a score of 50% or should be able to answer 13 of the 25 questions correctly in order to get the CDE certificate.
However, Caindec warned that passing both the CDE and the mandatory examination is not an assurance for the issuance of a driver’s license with a 10-year validity.
Under Republic Act (RA) No. 10930 that amended the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, an application will only be issued a 10-year driver’s license if the “holder of a professional and nonprofessional driver’s license has not committed any violation of Republic Act No. 4136 and other traffic laws, rules and regulations.”
Section 9 also states that “LTO shall institutionalize a point system which shall be used to assess the fitness and eligibility of driver applicants for their desired license transactions.”
Caindec said applicant for renewal who are found to have incurred traffic violations in the last five years will only be issued a license that will only be valid for five years.
They will be asked to take mandatory driver’s reorientation course to qualify for a 10-year driver’s license. / dcb