LTO begins issuing of 10-year driver’s licenses

The Land Transportation Office will begin issuing driver’s licenses valid for 10 years across their Metro Manila offices today, the agency announced.

Metro Manila-based drivers with a clean record are eligible to apply for the 10-year valid license. Drivers with traffic violations may only be eligible for a 5-year validity for now, LTO said.

The agency said that drivers who wish to renew their licenses must first pass a refresher course called comprehensive driver’s education or CDE before submitting an application. The 25-question test will cover traffic rules and regulations, traffic signs and symbols, and road courtesy. Passers will receive a certificate of completion, a requirement in applying for the 10-year driver’s license.

Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez opposed the CDE requirement in a house resolution and urged the LTO and Department of Transportation to scrap the test.

Rodriguez said the CDE will be an “additional expense” for the Filipino people during this pandemic, adding that the requirement is “unnecessary and has no legal basis,” noting that there is no provision in Republic Act (RA) 10390 that explicitly states that a certification is required for renewing a driver’s license.

The rollout of the licenses began at the Central Office-Licensing Section and the Quezon City Licensing Center on October 28.

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