The House Minority Leaders on November 2, encouraged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to remove the mandatory requirement for people renewing their driver’s licenses to get a certification of completion of the comprehensive driver’s education (CDE).
Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez stated in House Resolution 2425 that the CDE will be an “additional expenditure” for the Filipino people during this epidemic, adding that the mandate is “unnecessary and has no legal foundation.”
Rodriguez pointed out that there is no express provision in Republic Act (RA) 10390 requiring such certification for driver’s license renewal.
“The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that the spring cannot rise higher than its source and implementing rules must conform to the language of the law,” Rodriguez said in the resolution.
He also introduced House Bill 10431, which aims to abolish pertinent provisions of RA 10930, which the LTO is using to justify the CDE requirement.
Rodriguez was specifically alluding to RA 10930’s new Section 23-A provision, which requires the adoption of tougher standards prior to the issuing of a driver’s license.
“The LTO shall promulgate prerequisites and guidelines before to the grant of driver’s licenses to ensure that these are issued only to deserving applicants with sufficient driving skills and knowledge on road safety and proper road courtesy,” the clause adds.
He stated that the CDE is free if taken through the LTO website, but it may also be earned for PHP1,000 to PHP3,000 from LTO-accredited driving schools.
Rodriguez warned the LTO that its standards, such as car emission testing, have been a “source of corruption and scandal,” particularly when outsourced to private contractors.
He further directed the LTO to adequately explain the grounds for its impositions and to demonstrate that the relevant legal processes were followed.
According to a recent LTO notice, from Oct. 28, all drivers wanting to renew their license will be required to get a certification from the CDE.
“Ang lahat ng magrerenew ay kailangang dumaan a Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) upang matanggap nila ang kanilang CDE Certificate (All those who will renew their driver’s license should undergo Comprehensive Driver’s Education so that they could receive their CDE Certificate),” LTO said in its advisory.