EMONG'S JOURNALS

Let’s be honest for a second: how many times have you stepped onto a zebra crossing, only to watch a motorist aggressively speed up as if your life was just an annoying speed bump? If you’ve felt that cold sweat rush down your spine while trying to get to the other side of the road, you are definitely not alone. The constant tug-of-war between motorists and pedestrians has always leaned dangerously in favor of the person holding the steering wheel. ​Well, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has officially decided it's time to flip the script. ​Anchored in the statutory powers outlined under Republic Act No. 4136 (the Land Transportation and Traffic Code) , the government is drawing a hard, unyielding line in the concrete through a freshly minted memorandum. The message to drivers is crystal clear: disregard the safety of foot passengers at your own peril. ​For years, bad driving habits around crossings have been treated...

Picture this: You're sitting at a stoplight when BANG - a sudden impact jolts your seat. Before you can even process the shock, the car that rear-ended you speeds past on the shoulder, melting into traffic. Your pulse spikes, your hands grip the wheel, and every instinct screams at you to step on the gas and go after them. Don't. Hit that brake pedal, take a deep breath, and stay put—because stomping on the accelerator right now is the worst decision you could make. 1. The Pursuit Trap ​When a fleeing vehicle damages your car, survival instincts trigger a hot-headed reaction: catch the perpetrator. But turning a city road into an action movie set turns a property damage issue into an extreme safety risk. High-speed chases often lead to secondary collisions, escalation with an unpredictable driver, or losing control of your vehicle. Worse yet, if you abandon the scene, authorities might struggle to establish who was actually ...

Imagine getting flagged down by local traffic officers on your daily commute, handed a ticket, and watched as your physical driver's license gets slipped into their pocket. If you are driving through Bacoor, Cavite, local officials insist that is standard operating procedure. But step back for a moment—because according to national transportation authorities, that officer might be overstepping their legal bounds entirely. ​ The Local Stance: "Not Metro Manila, Not Our Rules" ​The conflict erupted after the City Government of Bacoor released a public reminder backing its local traffic code (City Ordinance No. 11-2019). Their argument? They claim that recent high-profile court rulings restricting local license confiscations only apply to Metro Manila LGUs operating under the MMDA. ​Since Bacoor sits outside the National Capital Region, city hall asserts that its autonomous powers under the Local Government Code grant its enforce...

You can now report road rage, colorum, and hit-and-runs direct to LTO. Plus, track if they actually got suspended. Tired of posting dashcam clips on Facebook and praying they go viral before anyone in government notices? Same. The LTO finally gets it. They just dropped “I-Report Mo kay LTO Chief”—a new site where you can report reckless drivers, colorum vans, or even sketchy LTO staff straight to the agency. No likes, shares, or trending hashtags required. Finally, a Way to Call Out Bad Drivers Without Chasing Clout For the longest time, the unofficial way to get justice on Philippine roads looked like this: film it, post it, tag 5 news pages, and hope it blows up. If your road rage video hit 100k views, maybe—just maybe—LTO would step in. That playbook is getting scrapped. The Land Transportation Office launched I-Report Mo kay LTO Chief, a dedicated reporting website that cuts...

What if you're caught driving with an unregistered  or expired vehicle registration? Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II reminded delinquent motor vehicle owners of the renewed strict implementation of the “No Registration, No Travel” policy after the long Christmas and New Year break. The strict implementation of the policy comes with stiff penalties that include a P10,000 fine if caught by LTO enforcers and other agencies deputized by the agency “Starting next week, we will be reviving our strict ‘No Registration, No Travel’ campaign across the country, so wala ng warning lang. As such,  I would like to appeal to our delinquent motor vehicle owners to find time to renew the registration of their respective motor vehicles to avoid paying hefty fines,” said Mendoza. Early this month and under the guidance of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, Mend...

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Pasay City Licensing Center (PCLC) - Driver’s Education Center (DEC) is now offering FREE 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) for applicants of student permits. Check out the schedules for July 2023: DATES: July 6-7, 2023 (Thurs & Fri) July 13-14, 2023 (Thurs & Fri) July 20-21, 2023 (Thurs & Fri) July 27-28, 2023 (Thurs & Fri) TIME: 8:00AM to 5:00PM (all sessions) VENUE: LTO Pasay City Licensing Center - DEC ADDRESS: LTO Pasay Compound Domestic Road Pasay City * Landmark: NAIA Terminal 4 To avail of this service, please apply using the form thru this link:  https://forms.gle/mqwNaWeygQQTiFKF9 IMPORTANT REMINDERS: 1) Confirmed appointments are non-transferable and non-rebookable.  2) Please provide an active email address to be able to receive a CONFIRMATION of schedule 1-2 days prior to the selected schedule.  Received confirmation will serve as proof...

Sometimes knowing what not to do, is just as important as knowing what to do. If you plan to get your driver's license in 2023, you're probably looking forward to getting that awesome 10 years validity. The question is - are you qualified? According to Republic Act 10930, the 10-year driver's license can be given to drivers with no "demerit points" on their driving record or who have not committed any violation of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. All applicants with traffic violation records will only get the 5-year validity of Driver’s License. What is the LTO demerit system? The "demerit system" helps the Land Transportation Office (LTO) keep an eye on all drivers’ records. It will also determine who among who is righteous enough to get hold of the much-sought-after 10-year license validity. The number of demerit points depends on the violation. Grave Violations are worth 5 demerit points each, L...

The Land Transportation Office has reopened select offices across the National Capital Region on Tuesday January 11, to assist customers with transactions that require an in-person visit to an LTO office during Alert Level 3.  In an official Facebook post, LTO said that the following district and extension offices in NCR-East have been reopened to the public - Marikina, Novaliches, La Loma, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela.  Meanwhile,  the driver’s license renewal offices (DLROs) located in shopping malls have been reopened as well, to include Ali Mall, California Garden Square, Cybermall Eastwood, Ever Gotesco, Fairview Center Mall, Fishermall, Robinson’s Galleria, Robinson’s Metro East, Robinson’s Novaliches, Shaw Mall Center, SM North, SM Novaliches, Tiendesita’s, and Venice Grand Canal Mall.  In addition,  some offices in NCR-West have also reopened. These are...

A Memorandum of Agreement ( MOA ) was signed between the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and delivery services, Grab and Foodpanda, providing motorcycle delivery riders a one-stop-shop facility including an express lane in select LTO district or extension offices. The MOA signing aims to aid delivery riders in their licensing and registration requirements with LTO. The facility is open to all delivery riders regardless of the companies where they work with. Through the Juan Stop, Juan Go project, LTO recognizes the importance of our riders, their hard work and dedication as frontliners in the transport sector during this pandemic. To kick-off the project, a Juan Stop, Juan Go Express Lane has been inaugurated at LTO Cainta Extension Office. The LTO will be publishing its complete list of select offices and branches with riders express lanes in the next few days. ANY THOUGHTS? Share your ideas by commenting. Image credit: MalayMail...

Before you can renew your LTO (Land Transportation Office) driver’s license, you will need to undergo the Comprehensive Driver's Education (CDE) seminar and pass the knowledge and safety tests to show that you understand the rules of the road, traffic laws and are safely driving the vehicle that the license will allow you to drive. I've put together these resources to help you prepare for these tests.  Road safety 1. Road courtesy, driving stress and how to deal with it properly, and road rage prevention. 2. Causes of and how to avoid road crashes 3. Causes of and how to avoid engine breakdowns. 4. Road emergencies: how to respond, what to do in case of an emergency. 5. Duties, responsibilities and legal rights of a driver. Traffic rules and regulations 1. Road discipline. 2. Identifying traffic signals, traffic signs, and road markings 3. Proper use of highways and expressways. Land transportation-related laws 1. RA 4136 - Traffic ...

LTO will start the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 10930 on the renewal of Driver's License on 28 October 2021 at the Central Office-Licensing Section and Quezon City Licensing Center (QCLC). This will be followed by other offices in the National Capital Region on 3rd November 2021. In accordance with RA 10930, which mandates extending the validity of licenses, those without traffic violation records can now renew their licenses for 10-year Driver's License. Meanwhile, applicants with traffic violation records will remain on the 5-year Driver's License. All renewal applicants must now go through a Comprehensive Driver's Education (CDE) in order to receive their CDE Certificate. CDE materials are available at the LTO Portal (portal.lto.gov.ph), at LTO offices, and at LTO-Accredited Driving Schools. CDE is free at LTO Driver's Education Centers and on the LTO Portal. All applicants are encouraged to register in the Land Tra...

The mandatory inspection of motor vehicles at private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVICs) remain suspended, as earlier ordered by Department of Transportation Secretary Art Tugade, Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief, Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante has clarified. Galvante also clarified that PMVICs have not been ordered to stop their operations and that motor vehicle owners still have the option to have their vehicles tested for roadworthiness and compliance with the Clean Air Act either at a PMVIC or at a private emission testing center (PETC) with the required LTO visual inspection. “Hindi naman na-suspend ang operation ng PMVICs. They can still operate. Ang na-suspend lamang ay iyong mandatory inspection sa PMVICs, at implementation ng GAORs. Ibig sabihin, sa mga lugar kung saan may mga PMVIC, malaya pa ring makapamimili ang tao kung sa PMVIC o PETC magpapa-inspect ng sasakyan bago magpa-rehistro,” said Asec. Galvante. The LTO chief made the clarifi...

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) sets its Central Command Center (C3) on its Pilot Testing Phase. The office shall be ready to serve the public twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week.  Initially, the C3 shall allow the public to report lost or carnapped motor vehicles, stolen motor vehicle license plates, and sale or disposition of previously registered motor vehicles.  The public can send in their reports through calling the C3 hotline, 1-342-586, or through using the CitiSend app, available in the Google Play Store. On its official and full implementation, the C3 shall be able to accept reports of road incidents as well, namely: Car Registration Query Carnapping Damaged License Plate Emergency Call Emergency Tracking Hit and Run Illegal Parking Lost Motorcycle Medical Emergency MV operating on the road using fake License Plate MV operating on the road using tampered License Plate MV operating on the road w...

They had it coming. Now, three Zamboanga motorcycle riders (one of whom is a YouTube vlogger) are being told to hand over their driver's licenses. The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has deemed their viral racing video unacceptable and had revoked their driving privileges. The question now is: If their driver's licenses were revoked, could they still get them back?  Maybe. Unless they were perpetually revoked.  Let's visit the LTO rules governing the revocation and reinstatement of a driver's license pursuant to Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 issued by the Department of Transportation and Republic Act 4136. 1. Can a revoked driver's license be reinstated?  For the non-pro drivers, yes. But for holders of professional licenses, unfortunately, no. A revoked non-professional driver’s license shall be disqualified from being granted a license for a period of two years counted from the date of revocation. Meanwhile, a rev...

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is once again extending the registration validity of all vehicles whose plates end in 5, 6, or 7, offering more time for motorists to complete vehicle registration renewals without worrying about late fees and penalties. For cars with plates ending in 5 and 6, the registration validity has been extended until September 30, 2021. For those ending in 7, registration will remain valid until October 31, 2021.  The public is further reminded to follow safety protocols so as not to delay the transaction and prevent the further spread of the Covid-19 disease. ANY THOUGHTS? Share your ideas by commenting. This post originally appeared on https://emongsjournals.blogspot.com

Land Transportation Office (LTO) - NCR West branches has begun offering Saturday services starting July 10, 2021 at select locations with registration functions, except on the 3rd Saturday of the month for the agency's system maintenance.  The new Saturday service is part of LTO-NCR West's effort to accommodate vehicle owners who are unable to take a day off from work and to avoid crowding at their offices during weekdays in accordance with IATF health protocols, according to LTO NCR West chief, Atty. Clarence Guinto. There is no available information yet on which select branches will be open but you may direct your inquiries at their official Facebook page HERE . ANY THOUGHTS? Share your ideas by commenting. This post originally appeared on https://emongsjournals.blogspot.com

The country is gearing up for a more progressive attitude toward bicycle use in the nation, particularly in the National Capital Region.  Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Metro Manila has become a place full of bicyclists who commute, run errands or simply enjoy some recreational activity. The construction and use of bike lanes are becoming more common across cities, helping to promote biker safety. Motorists are now being reminded (constantly!) that they are prohibited from driving a vehicle on a bicycle lane except under limited circumstances, like when (1) entering or leaving a roadway; or, (2) preparing for a turn from an intersection. LTO guidelines for bicycle lanes Just recently, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) released a public advisory regarding the guidelines and protocols for drivers in the operation of motorcycles, cars, trucks and other motorized vehicles. Here are the guidelines for bicycle lane...