The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) earlier today signed the Memorandum of Agreement to formalize the agencies’ partnership to strengthen driver’s education in the country.
The MOA was signed by LTO Chief Edgar C. Galvante and TESDA Director General Secretary Isidro “Sid” Lapeña. LTO Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz and TESDA Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Lina Sarmiento served as witnesses to the signing.
The MOA will 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.
“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,” Assistant Secretary Edgar C. Galvante said, Further, the LTO Chief said that with the TESDA, more free driving courses will be available to the public.
“Sa partnership na ito, mas marami na ang ma-ooffer ng gobyerno na libreng driving courses para sa mga interesadong mag-avail ng driver’s training. Ito po ang sagot ng ating mga pamahalaan sa hiling ng publiko para sa dekalidad at murang training program para sa mga drivers,” Asec Galvante emphasized.
TESDA DG Secretary Lapeña, for his part, said that the MOA aims to provide “safe drivers.”
“Sa ating data from PSA [Philippine Statistics Authorit], isa sa mga pangangailangan sa labor market ay mga qualified drivers. As we transition to the new normal, kailangan ng mga drivers, ito ang constant na pangangailangan ng mga industries. And, we have regional offices who can reach out to those in need of the training. Libre po ito,’ Secretary Lapeña revealed.
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. The TESDA Driving National Certificates courses will be equivalent to those offered by LTO.
Further, it will harmonize rules to ensure quality training for drivers. The MOA will complement the existing trainings 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.
