Senator Raffy Tulfo on Friday, May 5, sought a Senate investigation into what he considers as "anti-poor" process of obtaining driver’s licenses in the Philippines, saying there is a need to streamline and make the process accessible to the marginalized sector.
Tulfo filed Senate Resolution (SR) 577 to also address the current issue of shortage of plastic cards for license issuance.
“There have been issues with the process of obtaining drivers’ licenses particularly the requirement to a take a Theoretical Driving Course and Practical Driving Course with an LTO-accredited driving school, to undergo a costly medical exam and obtain a medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic,” the resolution stated.
“There is a need to ensure that the process of obtaining a driver's license is streamlined, affordable, cost-efficient, and impenetrable by fixers,” it added.
Tulfo recently made an ocular visit at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Diliman Quezon City amid reports of rampant corruption which also prompted him to file SR 577.
At present, all new driver’s license applicants are required to enroll in an LTO-accredit driving school that charges P5,000 and above.
All new and for renewal driver's license applicants are, likewise, required to pay P500 fee for vision test.
Tulfo said he is also concerned about reports of a shortage of plastic cards for the printing of driver’s license because of the rebidding that happened which has resulted in the printing of driver’s license on paper.
He underscored the need to investigate the incidents surrounding the bidding of said plastic cards as well as license plates to prevent the repeated problems of shortage of these crucial regulatory tools that secure our land traffic.
The senator from Isabela and Davao also wants to investigate issues with the process of registering motor vehicles, particularly the requirement of Compulsory Third-Party Liability (CTPL) insurance which is a mandatory requirement for all motor vehicle owners in the Philippines.
Tulfo said many motor vehicle owners already have comprehensive motor vehicle insurance providing a more comprehensive coverage that includes protection for the vehicle owner and other third-party individuals.
This comprehensive insurance renders the CTPL requirement redundant, and that the payment of both the CTPL and comprehensive motor vehicle insurance can be burdensome for them.