Recto seeks longer validity of car registration, driver’s license

Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto is mulling the inclusion of extending the validity of the motor vehicle registration in his proposal to make the driver’s license valid for five years, a move in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to unburden the public when it comes to government documents.

Citing public clamor especially on social media, Recto said he “finds merit in some proposals to include certain types of motor vehicles” in his Senate Bill No. 271, which aims to make the nonprofessional driver’s license valid from the current three years to five years.

He said the registration of new private vehicles, not those for hire, should be valid for up to four years instead of the current three, and renewals should not have to made annually thereafter.

“The registration can be done every two years, from the current yearly,” Recto said.

If approved, this would “spare car owners from making an annual pilgrimage” to offices of the Land Transportation Office, often plagued by long queues.

“This yearly requirement to register is an almost 100-year-old rule. Many new developments—in technology, engineering, legal rules—had happened since,” he said.

Public utility vehicles must not be included in the extension grant as these for-hire cars should undergo “annual inspection and registration on reasons of public safety,” Recto said.

“Perhaps if it’s a gravel-and-sand hauler or a school bus of kindergarten kids, it would need yearly inspection and registration,” he said.

Recto said he would consult “law enforcement agencies, motoring associations and other stakeholders” about his proposal.

There are an estimated eight million registered motor vehicles in the country, with motor vehicles making up half of the count. The regular registration is expected to earn the government P14.5 billion in fees this year, said Recto.