First Timers And Your Driver's License

[Dave Hounddriver]

4 hours ago, RonHenk said:

I NOW HAVE A LICENSE!

Congrats and good to see the BS is all over with.

[Mike S]

20 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Congrats and good to see the BS is all over with.

For now .... but don't hold your breath ..... you'll turn blue .....

[Queenie O.]

I converted my US drivers license to a new Philippines drivers license. I have a 13A, but had to do urine/drug test, eye test, blood pressure test, along with required paperwork. It was kind of a circus.

That day at the LTO was one of my most stressful experiences to date since living here. Not looking forward to the next time.

[Mike S]

8 hours ago, Queenie O. said:

but had to do urine/drug test

I'm sure you aren't aware of this but region 7 is the only region in all the Philippines that still requires one to take a pee test .... the government did away with that requirement several years ago but some judge down around Talisay threw up a TRO after 1 man complained to him about the new requirement .... all I can say is that that guy must have had some hellacious pull somewhere cause the TRO is still in effect .... 

[Dave Hounddriver]

52 minutes ago, Mike S said:

I'm sure you aren't aware of this but region 7 is the only region in all the Philippines that still requires one to take a pee test

Still needed in Bais and we are not region 7 any more.  How about in Bacolod?

[Queenie O.]

2 hours ago, Mike S said:

I'm sure you aren't aware of this but region 7 is the only region in all the Philippines that still requires one to take a pee test .... the government did away with that requirement several years ago but some judge down around Talisay threw up a TRO after 1 man complained to him about the new requirement .... all I can say is that that guy must have had some hellacious pull somewhere cause the TRO is still in effect .... 

Wow--I had no idea that that was the case. I would really like to see that requirement to be history here too in the future.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I heard they stopped doing the drug tests here in Iloilo, and the medical clinic next door to LTO, at the mall, closed.  Like many things here... you mileage may vary 

[mogo51]

On 3/17/2016 at 7:14 AM, RonHenk said:

Finally got my drivers license yesterday! Let me caveat this by saying that I was attempting to convert my US license to a Philippine license. i.e. No written or driving test. Just fill out the application, pay the fee and get my license. This requires a one year visa valid from the date of the application. Those going the Learners Permit route, I believe the requirements are a little bit different. So please do your homework. Anyways.

Asawa and I took a quick trip to Hong Kong. Flew out Monday and back Tuesday morning. Got a brand new Balikbayan visa, good for one year. Plan was to go straight from the airport in Naga to the LTO as we were scheduled to arrive at 1:30 PM, but thanks to NAIA and sitting in the airplane for an hour and a half and then another 45  min taxi and waiting to take off. We didn't arrive until almost 4PM. So we went the following day. They didn't seem to care about the date. (Visa valid for one year from 15 Mar and this was 16 Mar) They only seemed to care that this was Mar and my visa was valid until Mar 2017. So good to go there. Having been to the LTO on numerous occasions in my previous attempts I knew the requirements.

1. Current and photocopy (front and back) of my valid US drivers license. Check!

2. Photocopy of the picture page of passport. Check!

3. Photocopy of the visa page of my passport. Check!

4. Properly completed application. Check!

5. Current medical exam (eye test). Check!

Even with all my ducks in a row they didn't make it easy. The LTO "Reviewer" while looking at my Colorado license, pulls out a Texas license booklet and thumbs through it. Then he tells me:

LTO: I don't think you can drive anything here. This is a Class R license and there is no such thing as a Class R license.

Me: This is a Colorado drivers license. Each state has different coding. Class R means Regular and means that I can drive a regular car. It explains that on the back of the license.

LTO: (briefly looks at the back of the license) O.K. you can drive a car, but you can't drive a motorcycle.

Me: (pointing out the M endorsement) This M means I can drive a motorcycle. Its explains that on the back of the license as well.

LTO: O.K. You can drive a car and a motorcycle, but you can't drive a Commercial Vehicle.

Me: O.K. Thank you so much! Salamat Po!

An hours wait, Pay the fees and I NOW HAVE A LICENSE!

Eez more pun in da Pilippines! Good luck out there Guys and Gals

YOu buggered up his day, he thought he had you twice. Well done.

[Mike S]

12 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Still needed in Bais and we are not region 7 any more.  How about in Bacolod?

Dave they outlawed the test here in Negros Occidental 2 years ago .... I'm not sure just when they are supposed to join both Negroes for official status as they are still squabbling about where to put the island government ..... if it were me I would just make a satellite office say where you live .... but I heard it will be on the west coast in a town with hardly any facilities .... (I wonder which politician owns the most land there) or infrastructure .... so they are planning to build the city from scratch .... a few miles up the road is a pretty good sized town but they elected not to go there .... why?????? .... who knows ....

 

[andy2001]

So are the new restrictive rules still enforce? There still not on the main government site. just that pdf file.