The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have joined forces to strengthen driver's education in the country---at a reasonable price.
The agreement was formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of AgreementLTO Chief Edgar C. Galvante and TESDA Director General Secretary Isidro “Sid” Lapeña. The signing was witnessed by LTO Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz and TESDA Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Lina Sarmiento.
The MOA will ensure uniformity of standards among driving schools, and the availability of less expensive training courses, to raise the competency of drivers. On the part of the TESDA, the agency will provide more free driving courses across the country.
In the past weeks, the LTO has been the subject of intense criticisms for coming up with new policies that force the public to shell out more money. Critics said the policies, which include motor vehicle inspection, are insensitive amid the economic crunches as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The MOA will empower TESDA and its training centers to offer the Theoretical Driving Course and the Practical Driving Course equivalent to that being offered by the LTO Driver’s Education Centers. The TESDA Driving National Certificates courses will be equivalent to those offered by LTO.
The MOA will also paved the way for a harmonized rules to ensure quality training for drivers. It will also complement the existing trainings to address uniformity and standard, at the same time comply with the ease of doing business.