LTO suspends 3 Tarlac driving schools for issuing certificates sans driving lecture

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued notices of show cause orders and imposed preventive suspensions on three accredited driving schools in Tarlac for alleged violations, such as issuing certifications of completion without actual driving lectures or seminars for student drivers.

In a statement on Monday, the LTO said the three driving schools violated LTO Memorandum Circular VDM-2023-2460 or the Revised Omnibus Guidelines on the Accreditation, Supervision, and Control of Driving Institutions, and Standardization of Driver and Conductor’s Education.

The driving schools are facing violations of irregular use of their accreditation.

In particular, the driving schools allegedly issued practical driving course (PDC) certificates of completion to its student drivers without conducting actual driving lectures or seminars.

“It was reported that in the initial investigation, PDC certificates were released by each institution without the required training being provided,” the LTO said.

Apart from issuing show cause orders (SCO), the LTO also imposed a 30-day preventive suspension on each of the three driving schools.

A proprietor and an instructor of one of the driving schools were previously issued separate SCOs for violations of the same memorandum circular.

The proprietor was cited for irregular use of accreditation for conducting courses shorter than required hours, failure to follow approved syllabi, and issuance of certificates with irregularities, and non-compliance with other requirements.

The instructor, on the other hand, was previously cited for participation in acts constituting irregular use of accreditation.

LTO chief and Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao vowed that the agency is committed to upholding the highest standards for driver education and training in the Philippines.

“Irregularities in the issuance of course completion certificates undermine road safety and the integrity of our licensing process. These actions demonstrate our resolve to ensure that only properly trained individuals are allowed to operate motor vehicles on our roads, and we will not hesitate to take appropriate action against any institution found violating our guidelines,” he said.

The LTO pointed out that irregularities in driver education “directly contribute to road crashes across the Philippines.”

“Individuals who obtain certificates without proper training often lack essential knowledge of traffic rules, defensive driving, vehicle safety, and emergency protocols,” it said.

In addition, skill deficiencies increase the risk of road mistakes, endangering drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists.

“Recent road safety reports consistently link inadequate training to a significant percentage of collisions, underscoring the critical role of accredited driving institutions in maintaining public safety,” the LTO said.

Each driving school was ordered to submit a verified written response within five days upon receipt of the SCO to explain why disciplinary action should not be imposed on them.

Failure to comply will result in ex parte proceedings, with cases resolved based on available records.

The driving schools must cease operations, including access to the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS), during the 30-day preventive suspension or until the investigation is concluded.

Copies of the orders were furnished to the Central Accreditation Committee on Driving Institutions (CACDI) and Regional Accreditation Committee on Driving Institutions (RACDI) for LTO Region III. — JMA, GMA Integrated News