THE LAND Transportation Office and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority signed a memorandum of agreement to formalize the agencies’ partnership to strengthen driver’s education in the country.

The MoA was signed by LTO Chief Edgar Galvante and TESDA Director General Secretary Isidro Lapeña.

Serving as witnesses to the signing were LTO Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz and TESDA Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Lina Sarmiento.

The partnership 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,” Galvante said.

Further, the LTO chief said with TESDA, more free driving courses will be available to the public.

“Sa partnership na ito, mas marami na ang ma-o-offer ng gobyerno na libreng driving courses para sa mga interesadong mag-avail ng driver’s training. Ito po ang sagot ng ating pamahalaan sa hiling ng publiko para sa dekalidad at murang training program para sa mga drivers,” Galvante added.

Lapeña, for his part, said the partnership aims to provide ‘safe drivers’.

“Sa ating data from PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority), 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,” Lapeña said.

The agreement will empower TESDA and its training centers to offer Theoretical Driving Course and 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.

It will also harmonize rules to ensure quality training for drivers.

The agreement will complement the existing trainings to address uniformity and standard, and at the same time, comply with the ease of doing business, which will greatly help the LTO respond to the demand for quality and less expensive driving courses.