CEBU, Philippines — Land Transportation Office 7 regional director Victor Emmanuel Caindec has announced that the 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course in the region’s Driver’s Education Center is now free.
Prior to the announcement, the TDC fee was previously at P300 per applicant.
“This is already for free, we have expanded our classroom to accommodate more since we have a long list of applicants,” said Caindec.
Caindec said that the instructors are the existing personnel who conduct the TDC three times a week and five hours a day aside from their current jobs.
Under the LTO Memorandum Circular 2019-2176, a mandatory 15-hour TDC must be undertaken before an individual can get their student-driver permit.
“After launching our Malasakit Service Center two weeks ago, we have made our People’s Hall at the second level of our N. Bacalso office, our new classroom for the TDC courses,” said Caindec in a statement.
Caindec asked the patience of everyone, especially those who want to avail the TDC at their office along N. Bacalso Avenue, as they cannot accommodate the increasing number of applicants but assured them they will do something to improve their services.
The TDC in LTO-7’s DEC will have two classrooms, one is dedicated to special sectors such as for persons-with-disability, senior citizens, lactating women, pregnant women, while the other one is for the public.
“We understand that everyone wants to avail the free TDC of LTO but let us give priority to those who are in need, like those who are the indigent who cannot afford the private schools,” Caindec added.
In August 2020, LTO-7 started offering TDC courses through their DEC but with the implementation of the minimum health protocols such as physical distancing, limited students are accommodated each week.
In line with this, Caindec also announced an additional 20 slots for the TDC of their DEC making the five applicants to 25 applicants per week.
Caindec said the regional office is now working with the central office to secure regular funding for the DEC, not just to offer TDC but also the Practical Driving Course.
He added that once the regular funding will be approved by the central office, they will immediately offer also PDC to the public. — GMR (FREEMAN)