We reported a while back that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will soon be adding a 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course as a requirement for acquiring a student-driver permit. The original schedule for implementing this measure didn’t push through, however, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the agency’s operations to a halt.
But now, as government offices slowly resume their activities, it looks like the LTO will finally be able to see its plans through. According to an Inquirer report, LTO chief Edgar Galvante has announced that the agency will be suspending the issuance of student-driver permits starting July 1. It will then resume the service on August 3, and the 15-hour lecture requirement for student-driver applicants will take effect by then.
“August 3, ire-require na magdaan ka sa theoretical session, kaya yung mga driving school saka LTO mismo meron na kaming setup kung saan kailangan mag-enroll sila,” Galvante told DZMM in an interview.
If you were planning to get a student-driver permit soon, then be advised—you only have a few days before the LTO suspends issuing new permits. Meanwhile, if you’re an existing license holder, take note that the agency has waived late renewal fees for any documents that expired during the enhanced community quarantine. Read more on that one here.
