THE public may soon enjoy a reprieve from application fees and having to line up every three years to renew their drivers’ licenses, as a measure that seeks to extend the licenses’ validity to five years or even 10 years is awaiting the signature of the President.
Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services and sponsor of the Senate version, said the measure – ratified by both chambers on May 31 – was transmitted last July 11 to Malacañang for President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval.
She stressed this law would cut red tape, saying “Our countrymen need not worry about going to the LTO several times for the renewal due to the long validity of licenses.”
The enrolled bill will lapse into law even if the President fails to affix his signature after 30 days.
Poe said her panel would work closely with the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Office in drafting the implementing rules and regulations, which shall be promulgated not later than 30 days from the legislation’s effectivity.
Poe said Filipino drivers “have incentives to follow the traffic law. If they have no violation, the validity of their license can be 10 years.”
For the initial license application, the motorist must apply in person at any LTO office.
To make renewal of licenses convenient for drivers, the measure requires the LTO to create an online process within a year from the effectivity of the law.
To ensure that drivers are not unduly charged in securing licenses, Congress inserted a provision that the license fees shall not cost more than the government’s procurement expense.
A fine of P20,000 shall be imposed against applicants for willful misrepresentation, connivance with an officer, falsification of documents and cheating during examinations, and they shall be prohibited from applying for a period of two years.
A license will be revoked for four years if the driver is involved in death or physical injuries resulting in the loss of any part of a victim’s body, insanity, imbecility, impotence, blindness or incapacity to work.
Local government units, the Metro Manila Development Authority and other agencies issuing traffic violation receipts are required to report the details of the traffic violation within a reasonable time to the LTO.
The measure—authored in the Senate by Senate President ProTempore Ralph Recto and Senators Richard Gordon, Joseph Victor Ejercito and Joel Villanueva – seeks to amend Section 23 of Republic Act No. 4136, as amended by Batas Pambansa Blg. 398 and Executive Order No. 1011 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.