AT A GLANCE
The maximum prescribed fees for both Theoretical and Practical Driving Courses are P3,500 for motorcycles and P5,000 for light vehicles
The new fees will take effect on April 15, 2023
The LTO also allows filing of application for individuals and groups that wish to open driving schools in the country
Currently, there are 1,400 driving schools in the Philippines
photos: LTO
Barely a month after committing to address the high fees being charged by driving schools to their clients, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) issued on Wednesday, March 22, maximum fees that should be charged for both the theoretical and practical driving courses.
From the range of P9,000 to P15,000 before, LTO chief Jose Arturo “JayArt” Tugade said the fees for both the Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) and Practical Driving Course (PDC) were cut by over 50 percent.
TDC focuses more on classroom discussion on the rules and regulations on road safety while PDC focuses on actual driving.
Based on the guidelines issued by the Technical Working Group of the LTO headed by Kathleen Deann Salayog, the maximum prescribed payment for both the TDC for motorcycles (Driving License Codes A and A1) and light vehicles (DL Codes B, B1, B2) is P1,000.
For PDC, the maximum fee for motorcycles is P2,500 and P4,000 for light vehicles.
Tugade said that if the driving schools offer a bundle or package for both the TDC and PDC, the maximum amount that should be charged must not exceed P3,500 for motorcycles and P5,000 for light vehicles.
The standardization of the payment of driving schools, according to Tugade, will be effective on April 15 this year.
“This is our response to numerous complaints that we have been receiving about the high fees and varying fees being charged by driving schools across the country. This is proof that we are listening to the people’s suggestions and complaints,” said Tugade in a press briefing.
Last month, Tugade committed to address the complaints regarding the high fees being charged by the driving schools—complaints that are also the subject of discussions in social media and prompted Pampanga 4th District Rep. Ana York Bondoc to call out the LTO for what she described as an anti-poor policy
The LTO only charges a minimal fee in securing driver’s license—P250 for student permit (P100 for application fee and P150 for student permit fee) and P685 for the regular driver’s license (P585 for the license fee and P100 for application fee).
But it is the mandatory requirement that those who want to secure a student permit and driver’s license must undergo Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) and Practical Driving Course (PDC) that resulted in an applicant shelling out P9,000 to P15,000—and even higher for some.
Why they agreed
Salayog said the guideline set by the LTO was based on their own study, including the cost of operating a driving school and prevailing inflation in various areas.
During the consultation they made, Salayog said there were some suggestions from the representatives of driving schools to raise the maximum fees—suggestions that were rejected since the LTO has its own study on the matter.
LTO Region 3 Director Glorioso Daniel Martinez said one of the reasons why the driving schools agreed to limit the maximum fees for both TDC and PDC is that they are now allowed to accept more applicants.
During the pandemic, he said the driving schools can only allow a maximum of 20 applicants.
“But with the lifting of the Covid-19 restrictions, they can now accept a maximum of 40 students,” said Martinez.
The penalties
The operation of driving schools in the country is governed by accreditation from the LTO.
In case there is a violation of the maximum fees for TDC and PDC, Tugade said the penalty for first offense is P50,000 and suspension of six months while the second offense has P100,000 penalty and one year suspension.
For the third offense, he said the penalty is revocation of the accreditation, which means that the driving schools which committed three violations would no longer be allowed to operate.
The catch
While the LTO set the uniform maximum fees that should be charged by the driving schools nationwide, Tugade said there is a provision in the Omnibus Guideline that driving schools can appeal the fees.
The major consideration for the inclusion of the provision on review, he said, is that the prevailing inflation in a certain region must also be considered.
Lifting of moratorium
In the press briefing, Tugade also announced that starting Thursday, March 23, the LTO will also lift the moratorium for the restriction in the opening of driving schools.
This means, he explained, that individuals and groups can start submitting applications to open driving schools.
Currently, Salayog said there are 1,400 driving schools operating across the country.
