‘Scrap new LTO directive on driver’s license’

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Ralph Recto called for the scrapping and not just suspension of the order requiring public transport drivers to produce security clearances for driver’s license.

Recto pointed out the new directive of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) would affect about 2.1 million professional drivers if implemented.

Recto said the professional drivers who renew and apply for a license annually would have to spend about two days, losing their daily earnings, to comply with the requirement to secure clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Recto estimates the number of professional drivers who will apply for new licenses or have these renewed next year will reach 2,180,576.

The cost of an NBI clearance is P115, and a local police clearance P170.

But before the police issue a clearance, it requires the applicant to present a barangay clearance, which costs P50.

However, a barangay clearance will only be issued if the applicant has a Community Tax Certificate, which costs around P20, Recto said.

The PNP also requires two ID photos of the applicant, which adds P60 to expenses.

“If you add all of this, it will come up to P415. You multiply this with the number of professional drivers, you get almost P1 billion – just on fees alone,” Recto said.

Applying for clearances from three offices – barangay council, NBI and PNP – will take the applicant two days at most.

“Because one will be absent from work to do this, then that’s two days’ worth of salary gone. That’s at least P1,000 down the drain per applicant, or P2 billion in lost income for all the affected drivers,” Recto said.  

Recto said 2,018,976 professional drivers applied for new licenses or had them renewed in 2013, their number growing 2.6 percent annually since 2010.

Recto supported Senate President Franklin Drilon’s proposal for the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to clarify what exactly was ‘derogatory information’ on the required clearances that would lead to the rejection of the application and if it will cancel the privilege of an individual to operate a motor vehicle.