The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a warning to driving schools that charge exorbitant fees for theoretical and practical driving courses. Starting mid-April, LTO will impose maximum prescribed rates for driving schools nationwide.
LTO Chief Jay Art Tugade issued a strict warning to any driving school that charges too much or fails to comply with the approved Memorandum Circular No. JMT-2023-2390 or “Omnibus Guidelines on the Accreditation, Supervision, and Control of Driving Institutions, and the Standardization of Driver and Conductor’s Education.” The omnibus guidelines will take effect on April 15, 2023.
According to Tugade, supervision and control of driving institutions, and the standardization of driver and conductor’s education, the maximum fee for a 15-hour theoretical driving course (TDC) should be P1,000.
For an eight-hour practical driving course (PDC), the maximum fees should be P2,500 for motorcycles, P4,000 for light vehicles such as cars, and P8,000 for heavy vehicles like trucks and buses.
Tugade said that these rates would reduce the driving school fees by over 50 percent and make them more affordable and accessible to more Filipinos. He also said that these rates would still be fair to driving schools that have invested in their facilities and equipment.
The LTO chief warned that violators would face sanctions such as fines ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 depending on the number of offenses. They could also face suspension or revocation of their accreditation if they repeatedly overcharge students.
LTO also shortened the required number of days for applicants to complete the mandatory 15-hour TDC from three days to two days within a month. The first day would consist of seven hours while the second day would take eight hours.
Applicants would have to register their biometrics before and after every session for attendance purposes. At the same time, driving institutions are required to maintain an attendance sheet for their students.
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After completing the course and passing the final exam of the TDC, and the 8-hour PDC, the applicant will be given a Certificate of Course Completion in real-time, electronically transmitted to LTMS through the Driving Institution Portal.
The LTO said that these new guidelines aim to improve driver education standards in line with its road safety advocacy. It also urged applicants to enroll only in accredited driving schools that comply with its policies.