LTO extends registration

CEBU, Philippines —  The Land Transportation Office has extended the motor vehicle registration and launched yesterday the Drivers Education Center (DEC) located at the agency’s Malasakit Center along N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City.

LTO-7 Director Victor Caindec, in a public advisory, said that LTO has once again extended the validity of the motor vehicle registrations.

LTO said that motor vehicles with plate numbers ending in 6, 7, and 8 will have an extended validity of until October 30, 2020 while vehicle plates ending in 9 and 0 will have an extended validity until December 31, 2020.

The original schedule for registration for vehicles with plate numbers ending in 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0 are June, July, August, September, and October, respectively.

“To avoid congestion and all LTO offices, ensure the orderly processing of transactions and strictly implement the observance of social distancing and other health and sanitary protocols to protect the health and safety of our employees and the transacting public in light of the continuing national health emergency,” the advisory reads.

Meanwhile, members of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwid-Cebu were first to enroll in the DEC so that their drivers will be allowed to still get their license with the new government's system.

PISTON-Cebu chairman Greg Perez, who was present during the launch, thanked Caindec for the partnership and for giving them “importance,” especially in this time of crisis.

DEC, which requires all applicants to enroll in driving courses, is in response to President Rodrigo Duterte's call of having more educated drivers on the road as reckless driving is believed to be the lack of education on the country's traffic laws.

LTO-7’s DEC costs P300 per student per course.

LTO Cebu City District Office Chief Joel Maloloy-on said that the P300 will serve as a payment for the Theoretical Driving Course wherein students will undergo 15 hours of training.

So far, only six applicants will be accommodated per session as physical distancing and other health protocols are strictly implemented.

Caindec also said that following the official start of the DEC in the region, the launching of the Mobile Drivers Education Program is now underway and is targeted to reach the deserving applicants, especially those residing in far-flung areas.

Cianza Pearl Gutierez is set to be the instructor for the Mobile DEC while Apollo Machacon is the DEC instructor.

In a statement, Machacon said that in his 30 years in government service, this is the first time that the government is thinking of the safety of the motorists, especially those who are still getting their student permits.

He added that the majority of the accidents happening on the roads involve drivers without discipline. Through the new Drivers Education Program of the LTO, all motorists are hoped to be educated on road safety.

Caindec also explained that private DEC's are just like private schools as the public can opt for a private or public DEC.

But at LTO 7's DEC, an applicant has to be deserving to get a spot as enrollees.

Deserving applicants who plan to enroll in LTO 7's DEC must present a nomination from their local chief executive proving that they cannot afford the private DEC.

“If there is what we call a private driving school, this is considered as a public driving school that will help those who cannot afford to enroll in a private driving school. With our own DEC, they can still get their license and be certified in our backyard," Caindec earlier said. — KQD (FREEMAN)