Raffin

https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/natio...f?ocid=BingHPC

Read the headline only and this looks like unalloyed good news for drivers. But not so wonderful when you get to paragraph 4. The exam will probably be modelled on the one currently taken by student driver applicants. Thirty six lessons, or videos if you're online, 34 quizzes to pass at 80%, rather than at the 50% level mentioned here for renewals. A good part of the course all about the LTO and its regulations, not about actual driving and the roads here. The online version often not working well, at least as of now.

Like with the still born car inspections system more difficulties for car owners and drivers coming from the LTO.

Gazza-d

90% of the tricycles and half the cars don't have licenses anyway so not to many will affected. Brown envelope manufacturers winners again.

Stokkevn

Seems like another system to cover up the LTO incompetence, i.e. unable to provide a driving license when being renewed due to the lack of plastic blanks and of course another way to top up the private piggy bank. Most likely cheaper to pass a driving test every 5 years, my friend's wife did it, extra P200 for someone to sit next to you and tell you the answers and then a comprehensive on road driving test that was about 5m forwards and 3m in reverse. Passed with flying colours.

Just done my local MOT, passed no problems ( would never have passed a UK MOT ), only complaint was that I did not have my new number plates installed, I showed that I had paid in 2015 for them but had never got them, 'new number plate' box was ticked as OK.

Raffin

Stockkevn, are you suggesting better to reapply as a student driver? The sham practical may work in some Visayan Islands but not in the NCR and many areas around. And getting a student licence definitely now involves attending a 3 day seminar, 5 hours a day, plus exam or an online course with 36 videos to watch and 34 quizzes to pass! Here in Cavite, anyway.

Did a bit more searching and came up with this from August:

https://filipiknow.net/drivers-license-renewal/

A bit different in the details from the recent article. No exam mentioned. In the FAQs it says the seminar is at the proposal stage.
Anyway I think a lot of people could be caught out as they will leave it o the last few days or soon after expiry to renew and it has been very much under the radar. The article says you won't have a practical unless its 2 years or more expired. Maybe there will be tuition and questions in the theoretical exam about driving a car, which you presumably have been doing ok for years! Otherwise all they can ask or teach you is about new road signs etc.... and the LTO eg the new requirements to renew your licence!

Let's see if there's any push back on this. Many need a license for work. But I am thinking to just not bother when mine comes up for renewal year after next. I will just avoid driving in Manila or long distance. Unlikely to be asked to show a licence around where we live

Gazza-d

The only time I ever use my driving licence is as id in the supermarket.

Raffin

No public transport in our subd and a 15 minute walk uphill to some. One grocery fairly near but a choice of shopping 8 kms away. Someone who drives needed but not enough to employ anyone.

Testing other than medical for renewal probably unusual, UK and US don't.

I may be going too far here but is it part of a wider picture of the Philippines moving away from a developing country linked to the West? Some strange restrictions enforced during the pandemic, then the lack of divorce along only with Malta, weird family laws on marriage up to 25 years of age, 12 years age of sexual intercourse consent. stopping some medically qualified taking jobs abroad by quota. not to mention human rights etc.

Raffin

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/02/...ivers-licenses

10 year licence started.
The LTO have very kindly given those motorists whose licences expire in the next two months a 2 month extension to attend the refresher course and pass the exam.

Gazza-d

So if you don't want to do the refresher you can just apply for a 5 years licence as normal. Interesting times for foreigners who have received proper training but just converted their licence.

Raffin

Not at all. Read the first two articles I posted here. This later one also:

https://www.autodeal.com.ph/articles...on-certificate

All renewals need to take the refresher course and pass the exam for the 10 years. No choice for a 5 year.
Crazy and will take time. But the course and exam can be online and looks easy to pass....if it works.!

Yes, foreign conversions..? They're not renewals but I expect they will face some sort of course and exam