Price of medical certificates must be reasonable, LTO chief says

Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Edgar Galvante on Thursday said the LTO has no business in setting fees for the medical certificates needed in getting or renewing a driver’s license.

However, the fee must be reasonable so as not to burden motorists.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Galvante said the fee should be determined by medical clinics accredited by LTO. 

“Hindi kami nagaano ng fee ng doctor kasi depende ‘yun sa service ng doctor, pero ang pamantayang inissue namin ‘yung dapat na gawin sa pasyente,” Galvante said.

However, accredited clinics must charge a reasonable fee for medical certificates as one of the requirements in obtaining a driver’s license, Galvante noted.

“‘Wag naman silang magiissue ng napakamahal na magiging burden itong nadagdag sa nagpapalisensya,” Galvante said.

Some applicants are complaining the medical clinics have started charging twice what they used to pay, supposedly because of the LTO’s move to transmit medical certificates electronically.

One Mark Alvarez claimed that one establishment doubled its usual fee of P200 to P400.

Galvante also urged motorists to renew their licenses two months prior to the expiration date so as not to slowdown the process at LTO.

“Sana marealize ng tao na itong pagrerenew ng lisensya, ‘wag nilang antayin ‘yung very last day kasi as early as two months before expiration inaallow na natin,” he said. —Anna Felicia Bajo/VDS, GMA News