Since February 2021, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has been offering a free theoretical driving course. As of June of this year, this was available nationwide through LTO regional facilities. Of note, this is a requirement for those wanting to get the LTO student’s permit.
The official post from LTO. Do consult your regional branch to check if it's available
For the National Capital Region (NCR), this course is offered by the LTO NCR East main compound in Pinyahan and the LTO facility in Matalahib, Quezon City.
In turn, the LTO facilities handling the driving course for NCR West are located at the LTO compound at the Alabang-Zapote Road in Talon Uno Las Pinas, and at LTO Pasay.
For those who want to avail of this service, one needs to register online for a slot. Both LTO NCR East, Wast, and other regions have a booking system on their respective websites. An applicant must then attend three sessions in order to finish the 15-hour course.
Apart from that, there are also some requirements a course attendee should bring during the said course. These include one’s original National Statistics Office-approved birth certificate or marriage contract, one valid ID, and one’s own ballpen. And of course, one should also wear a facemask and face shield.
During these trying times, the ability to drive is a crucial skill
Moreover, only 30 course attendees will be catered in a day. Proxies are not allowed, and one should also come in a decent casual attire. The course covers basic driving knowledge like Philippine Road laws, road etiquette, the basic parts of a motor vehicle, among others.
While all of these are well and good, do note that this service is currently unavailable at LTO NCR East as of August 29, 2021. This is due to the recent modified enhanced community quarantine status (MECQ) of NCR. In turn, the NCR West facility was also closed from September 6 until further notice as it is currently being disinfected.
For other regional LTO branches offering the free theoretical driving course, do consult their official social media pages for more information.
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