LTO, TESDA ink accord for uniform driving school standards, free training

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on Friday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to formalize the agencies’ partnership in standardizing driver’s education in the country and offer more free drivers’ training to the public.

In a statement, the LTO said the MOA would ensure uniformity of standards among driving schools, and the availability of less expensive training courses, to raise the competency of drivers using the country’s roads. 

The agreement was signed by LTO Chief Edgar Galvante and TESDA Director General Secretary Isidro Lapeña.

"We have partnered with TESDA because we want to tap their expertise to ensure the quality of driver’s training being given by driving schools, the LTO and TESDA," Galvante said.

The LTO chief added that with the partnership with TESDA, more free driving courses will be available to the public.

“With this partnership, the government can offer more free driving courses for those interested to avail a driver’s training. This is the government’s answer to the public’s clamor for a quality and lost-costlier training program for drivers,” Galvante said in Filipino.

Lapeña, for his part, said that the MOA aimed to provide "safe drivers."

“Data from PSA [Philippine Statistics Authority] showed that among the major needs of the labor market are qualified drivers. As we transition to the new normal, we need this kind of drivers, which are constantly needed by industries. And, we have regional offices who can reach out to those in need of the training. Libre po ito,” Lapeña said in a mix of English and Filipino.

The MOA will empower TESDA and its training centers to offer the Theoretical Driving Course and the Practical Driving Course equivalent to that being offered by the LTO Driver’s Education Centers, according to the LTO.

It said that TESDA Driving National Certificates courses would be equivalent to those offered by LTO.

The MOA will harmonize rules to ensure quality training for drivers, the LTO said.

“The MOA will complement the existing training to address uniformity and standard, at the same time comply with the ease of doing business. This will greatly help the LTO respond to the demand for quality and less expensive driving courses,” it said. -NB, GMA News