A House leader welcomed the support of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the proposal to scrap the comprehensive driver’s education requirement for the renewal for a driving license.

Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez is among those who called for the scrapping of the requirement as one way to ease the burden of some Filipinos during these trying times.

“We welcome the DOJ stand on our call, contained in our House Resolution No. 2325. We hope that the Department of Transportation (DOTR) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will now finally listen and cease from imposing this requirement,” Rodriguez said.

He said removing the imposition would make it easier for millions of public utility vehicle drivers and owner-drivers of private cars to renew their driving licenses.

The veteran solon filed House Resolution No. 2325 urging the DOTR and the LTO “to immediately remove the additional requirement of acquiring a certification of completion of the comprehensive driver’s education (CDE) for people renewing their driver’s licenses.”

Under its rules, the CDE could be taken and the certification could be obtained from LTO-accredited driving schools, which charge P3,000 to P5,000.

Meanwhile, the DOJ expressed its support for the Rodriguez resolution in a letter to Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, who chairs the House committee on transportation, where the measure is pending. Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay Villar signed the letter.

In its letter, the DOJ said while the imposition of the CDE and certification requirement “is a function necessary, proper and incidental to the power of the LTO to issue driver’s licenses…it is a function that properly pertains to the LTO and it is not contemplated by EO No. 1101, s. 1985, that said function be performed by an LTO-accredited driving school or institution.”

“For this reason, we support the adoption of House Resolution No. 2325,” the DOJ said.

EO 1101 created the Land Transportation Commission, now LTO.

Rodriguez expressed concern over the spread of Covid-19, especially its highly transmissible Omicron variant, with drivers trooping to LTO offices, where the CDE may be taken free of charge, if the agency insists on its CDE requirement.

“The convergence of people at this time in LTO offices, many of which are just cramped spaces in malls, could be a virus superspreader. I’m sure LTO officials and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade are aware of this,” he added.

He said while drivers have the option to take the test in LTO-accredited driving schools, they would have to pay P3,000 to P5,000 for it.

Such an amount would be a big financial burdens for PUV drivers and car owners, he said.

Rodriguez reminded the LTO that it would be suspected of corruption again if it insists on the requirement by having drivers comply with it through its accredited driving schools.

He also stressed that the LTO should be vetting drivers when they apply for the first time for driving permits, not when they renew such licenses.