FILE PHOTO Trucks, cars and motorcycles negotiate a less crowded Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Some senators on Monday questioned the requirement of having to undergo a 15-hour driving course before a driver’s license could be issued, with one lawmaker underscoring the need for credible tests instead to prevent possible cheating.
“I agree that drivers have to be knowledgeable and competent but, even in other countries, you’re given a booklet that you can review prior to taking the test and then you take the written test afterwards and then you do one driving test. I mean, why do they actually have to go through a program if they don’t need it? If they pass the written test and they also pass the practical driving test,” Senator Grace Poe said during the plenary debates on the budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“Maybe without even the 15-hour training program, the important thing is the credibility of the tests,” she also said.
Poe, who chairs the Senate public services committee, is tasked to defend the budget of the DOTr.
But she said that the LTO’s requirement 15-hour driving course does not do the job of determining the competence of drivers.
“I know I’m supposed to be defending their budget,” she said. “The problem is, sa LTO (Land Transportation Office) kasi, noon, ewan ko ngayon, nakapaskil yung mga sagot e. Tapos may mga kodigo, so alam mo talaga yung mga drivers hindi naman lahat nakakaalam talaga kasi kinokopya lang nila. Pangalawa, doon sa practical driving exam, dapat walang bayaran doon, titignan talaga kung marunong yung driver.”
“Kasi no matter this 15-hour course e pagdating doon e nagdadayaan lang, e hindi pa rin natin alam kung competent yung mga drivers na yan,” the senator pointed out.
Thus, Poe said, there is no longer a need for the 15-hour driving course so long as those seeking to get their license pass the written and practical exams.
“I don’t believe that they have to go to the driving school as long as the information that they need to study is already online, they can do it on their own. And then bagsak sila kung bagsak. Walang dayaan, walang kodigo,” she added.
The 15-hour “theoretical driving course” is part of the requirement stated under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) crafted by the DOTr for Republic Act No. 10930, which requires the implementation of “stricter rules” before the issuance of driver’s license, according to Poe.
“When they (drivers) transition to the 10-year license is when they take that one-time 15-hour training program,” she said.
Only 15 minutes, not 15 hours
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto also questioned the need for a 15-hour training driving course.
“In my experience, I suppose I have more than 10,000 hours already driving. So why will I be required to take a 15-hour [driving course]?” he asked.
“Kung mga walang violation baka hindi kailangan 15-hours basta importante mapasa yung exam at mapasa yung driving exam,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, said.
“You don’t need 15 hours, you only need 15 minutes to show that they cannot drive properly,” Sotto further said.
Recto also pointed out that the driving course may just add another layer of red tape to a process that should have been simplified.
“What we did in that law is to simplify para mabawasan yung red tape para sa ordinaryong mamamayan. Kaya pinasa natin yung batas na yan para bawasan yung red tape, hindi para dagdagan,” he said.