(Eagle News) — People applying for a renewal of their license don’t have to spend more to comply with the new law requiring them to undergo a comprehensive driver’s education (CDE) program prior to the renewal or be inconvenienced.
According to LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Edgar C. Galvante, the CDE learning materials an applicant has to study to pass a 25-question test to get their CDE certificate of completion needed for the renewal, after all, are available for free at the LTO Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal via portal.lto.gov.ph.
The CDE materials consist of a five-hour program of video and slide presentations that can also be downloaded from lto.gov.ph, and are given out in all LTO offices nationwide.
The mandatory LTMS enrollment for all LTO clients is free and can be done via smartphones or other internet-accessible devices, Galvante said.
“We hope to further expand this free learning resource for Filipino drivers, so our motorists become safer and more responsible drivers,” Galvante said, noting that LTO’s LTMS portal also has the evaluation test itself, and offers other materials like e-books and primers on topics like defensive driving and vehicle maintenance.
According to Galvante, even experienced drivers will benefit from the program, “with its information on the best practices to deal with stress and road rage, unsafe and abusive motorists, crisis events like accidents and vehicle malfunctions, and updates on new traffic rules and signage.”
Under Republic Act No. 10930, all drivers are mandated to take the test on traffic laws and safe driving practices to cut the prevalence of traffic accidents causing death and injury.
The LTO last month began offering the new 10-year driver’s license in Metro Manila.
The new license will be granted to existing license holders who do not have existing traffic violations.
Those with violations will be restricted to the current five-year license.
