LTO Mulls Scrapping Online Exam for Driver’s License Application, Renewal

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said on Saturday that it is mulling the removal of the online exam for driver’s license application and renewal.

LTO chief Teofilo Guadiz III aired his concern over the current setup of the online examination on the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal during the Senate Committee on Finance’s hearing on the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) proposed P167.12-billion budget in 2023, saying that abusive fixers currently take advantage of the feature.

Guadiz added that fixers are utilizing the online Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) online validation exam to charge a higher price on driver’s license applicants and those seeking to renew their license.

Moreover, Guadiz said that around 75 percent to 80 percent of individuals taking the CDE in the portal are not the actual persons applying or renewing their licenses.

“In most of these cases, I would say 75 to 80 percent, it is another person who is taking the seminar, it is another person who is taking the examination. We feel that this is reprehensible,” Guadiz said.

Guadiz said that the LTO is mulling the abolition of the LTMS portal altogether.

“We are evaluating this, and my inclination is just to totally abolish this portal,” he said.

LTO clarification

LTO later said that there is no intent to abolish the LTMS as LTO Strategic Communications Office chief Divine Reyes clarified Guadiz’s statements during the Senate deliberations, saying that what Guadiz was referring to is the online examination.

Reyes said that the LTO is seeking to “strengthen the level of protection in online transactions” within the LTMS portal.

Added features

Guadiz also mentioned during the Senate deliberations that the LTMS portal needs to have additional security features, such as facial recognition.

“We feel is that kulang lang ‘yung app ng facial recognition for us to be able to effectively use the portal,”

Guadiz added the one taking the exam should be seen by the security feature so that LTO can confirm that it is indeed the individual applying or renewing his license who is taking the CDE.

“If that feature is added, hindi na pwedeng mangdaya. Dapat kitang-kita ng portal ‘yung nag-eexam, ‘yung talagang may-ari ng driver’s license,” Guadiz said.

LTO said in a statement on Saturday that a technical working group (TWG) tasked to provide a solution to LTO’s fixer problem has already been formed in September.

One of the TWG’s tasks is to seek ways to make sure that no other individual apart from the applicant is taking the CDE and LTO seminars. (GFB)