Today’s Guest Column is from Jim Cunningham. Jim is a long time of LiP who recently relocated to the Philippines and is now enjoying his retirement in Talakag, Bukidnon.
Hi Folks- Before I start this story please bear in mind, I’m a British citizen with a UK driving licence.
We arrived at the LTO just before 9am on February 26th and went to the window and had our forms checked and were then asked to proceed to the Medical/Drug Testing facility escorted by an LTO official.
Medical and eyesight test, height and weight checked fee paid 100 pesos each.
Drug test next door paid 200 pesos each all finished before 10am and it had a steady queue of applicants.
Back to the LTO and handed in all paperwork and was asked to visit office of LTO Driving Licence Director who after exchanging pleasantries informed us that: the UK, Hong Kong and Brazil are the only countries in the world who do not allow their driving licences to be converted to Philippine licences. Well blow me down with a feather. I then ask the Director what can I do now he then explains the law saying we should apply for a Student licence which after one month (30days) we can reapply for a full licence which will be granted rather than wait out the full year of the Student licence if we don’t mind paying for our full licence within such a short period of time. He even informed us that we would not have to retake a Medical or Drug test as the lapsed period is only a month and he gave us back our results in order to resubmit in 30 days time.
We then submitted our papers again and were asked to have a photocopy of our last entry stamp taken which we did and were asked to wait to be called. Within about 10 minutes we were called to have our Photo taken and specimen signature then about another 10 minutes we were called again to pay the cashier 317.64 pesos each then 5 minutes later we were called to sign and receive our Student licences. We left the LTO car park just before 11am so total time taken just under 2 hours from start to finish.
Between us we have been driving for about 60 years to suddenly become learner (student) drivers again but that’s life in the tropics.
The LTO gave us new application forms for next months full licence application we will have to pay again for the full licence next time of course.
That is our story and I’m sticking to it, incidentally the whole process was painless apart from the revelation about the UK/Philippine non agreement to convert each others licences. By the way it’s not the Philippine Government who refuses to convert but instead the UK Government along with those of Hong Kong and Brazil, I would like to find out why this is so.
I have heard of the LTO retaining the foreign applicants licence before issuing their new Philippine licence on other group sites and now I may have the answer why.
On April 2nd we return to LTO in CdeO with our NP Driving Licence application forms duly filled out to be submitted.
We went to the first window at 8.15am and were then told to wait to be called for our photograph to be taken. We were called about 9am and had our photographs taken and our signatures recorded and told to wait till the cashier called us to pay our fees.
At 10.15am we were called to pay our fees 168 pesos for our “theory test” I thought are they joking or what. Joking utot, we were told to proceed to the Lecture Room and were shown a DVD about the do’s and don’ts of driving in the Philippines.
We were after the DVD show asked to sign a sheet and informed that the theory test would be at 1pm and could we come back at 12.45.
We then went to the LTO Canteen and had some lunch (oh dear) and after forty winks returned to await our theory test. We were asked do you wish to take the test in Bisaya, Tagalog or English and with not having Bob‘s expert knowledge of Bisaya language elected to take the test in English.
We were informed that to pass, you had to get 30 questions correct from 40 so let the ordeal begin.
At 1.15pm we started the test and at 1.30pm we were finished and hopefully had done sufficiently well to pass the test.
Not one to mess around I asked the OiC how we had done and since I was the only white man he asked me my name, I almost asked him to guess but thought I was tempting fate.
He came back soon with a big smile on his face and informed us we had passed, so far so good.
At 2.30pm we were asked to go to the cashier and wait to be called and at 3.30 we were called to pay our fees 417 pesos and then asked to wait for our licence and receipt.
At 3.55pm we were called and issued with our licences and at 4pm we left the LTO compound.
What an ordeal but without going through with it you cannot obtain a licence and therefore cannot legally drive.
So now Marilou and I can legally join the throng of Kamikaze drivers who ply the highways and byways that are the motoring routes of the Philippines.
So to anyone going through the same ordeal take a packed lunch, plenty of water and a book and just accept this as being the norm and if you complete the process sooner, consider it a bonus.
Great story Jim,I think I'll get an international drivers license 🙂 It may cost more,but less time consuming,I saw the link here in LIP…Thanks for the info!
Randy
International license is only valid for 3 months…i know….I have one and got stopped by police yesterday who pointed it out
Kamusta ka Jim,
First of all, is great to see you on here Jim. Sounds like such an adventure, but the most intriguing thing I am curious about is..is what exactly is on that DVD of the "do's" and "don'ts" of driving in the Philippines? Since it sounds like most drivers there make up there own rules there.
Salamat kaayo,
Danny
I thought I saw that video on pinoy funniest home videos! As to bad drivers, have you ever seen much broken glass at intersections? you see it all the time in NZ and OZ, makes you wonder who the bad drivers actually are. If you drive like a local it seems to work better than driving like a foreigner. When in rome.Nice to see everyone in the LTO office did their jobs without asking for "extra fees" ,not like manila.
Are U.S. driver licenses easier to do .??.. Phil n Jess
Phil you can allways find a fixer to get your licence.i was introduced to the police chief in angeles city and he got me my licence,went once to LTO for pictures[about ten minutes]and kept
my US licence.
Hi Jim!
Congratulations to you and Marilou for excelling at pinoy driving 101. My wife Marie had to take the exam here in the US because her Philipines license did not transfer. She had no problem with the written part but had a bit of trouble on the driving part. Since Marie is a Filipina driver she has the tendency to ease out in front of oncoming cars and she expects them to yield to her. Even though I explained to her that creeping out into traffic is a bit suicidal; Marie showed that habit to the terrified examiner. I must have been quite charming that day because I was able to assure the examiner that if Marie was granted her license she would work hard to adapt to the US driving style. The reality may have been that she didn't want to tempt fate by ridng with Marie.:)
Hi Jim – This is a bit odd as I obtained my Philippino licence as a conversion from a British licence with no problem.I have never heard of a country refusing to allow its driving licence to be converted – perhaps some other British national can comment on this.
Possibly some individual was waiting for you to suggest that you might need his help for a small fee!!!Strange things can happen in the LTO!!!
Hi Jim – That's funny, mine is good for 4 years, I am almost certain!
Hi Bryan- As someone who has lived in the land of "Dash" for ten years "Nigeria" I can assure you I was not approached.
The LTO Director himself disclosed to me the laws of the land concerning the non transferance of British to Philippine licence and he was quite emphatic in his summary.
Since he is the boss of the LTO in CdeO I did not argue with him or did Marilou and incidentally the assistant Director of the LTO CdeO is a cousin of my sister-in-law!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes I'm open to suggestiond but I'm not going back as I have my licence now.
Regards.
Jim.
Hi Jim, Long time no see. A.P.&T. Chipboard mill. 1978
Hi Graham – Well I never, how are you getting on it must be 30 years or more since we last met up.
Please contact me via my private e-mail address so we can catch up with all the news.
Take care.
Jim.
Hi again Bob- In fact I don't even get 3 years as it starts on my birthdate December 2008 and ends December 2011 so I got done out of 3 1/2 months.
regards.
Jim.
Hi Kevin,
That is only for the initial license. Once you get your Philippine Driver's license, you can renew it every time that it expires. You don't even need the US license to get your original Philippine license, but if you do have a US license then you don't have to do the tests and such.
Hi Jim,I too spent a few years in the land of dash – Lagos,Sokoto,Kaduna and Maiduguri.I have some good memories and some not so good!Remember the old joke – Whats the difference between a tourist and a racist in Nigeria?- about a week! not very pc but funny just the same.
As far as the licence issue is concerned I will try to find out what the score is in Manila in May when I get back. I really cannot see a country refusing to allow their licence to be converted or why only the Philippines – the Gulf states issue licences on the strength of a UK licence and other places I have worked.My children have uk licences so I will see if they can get Philippino licences in August when they holiday here.
I believe the rationale for refusing to convert is that liscense’s can be surrendered to “smooth operators”, in some cases, who profit from selling the ID. It can end up hurting the expat. and maybe even provided passage by imposters back to country of origin of the surrendered liscense. Or other problems caused by normal identity theft. Complaints to the country of origin about this from victims probably drive the policy is my guess. They want to protect the person who has surrendered their liscence, so they refuse to allow conversion, thus removing the surrender process entirely (?).
Hello again,
You know Jim, its funny whenever I bring up the subject of Rose learning to drive, she just says "no, I will walk or take multicab" hehe, and I tell her its not that easy in the USA to do that. THen she says "oh..it is necessary to learn to drive?", and I say..yes it is necessary. She makes me laugh, and she says "well..we live next door to your parents, and Mom can take me in her car..hehe..lol.
So if we decide to ever move to USA here, will be interesting to see if you she will go through with it.
But I have noticed here, that a lot of filipinas are afraid to get drivers license and the urge to learn to drive.
Just my observations…:)
Danny
Hi Jim (& Bob) – Did you say you were at the LTO compound in CdeO? It sure sounded like Southern California but, then again, you were able to walk away with cash in the pocket without spending the entire day waiting for "your number" to be called just so you can go up to one of the eight (out of twenty) open windows just to state the reason for your visit! 😆
Hi Brian- I was in Sapele,Kano and Lagos forst with Unilever (African Timber & Plywood Ltd)UAC and then with Lonrho (John Holt Ltd).Britain,Brazil and Hongkong are the only countries that will not allow the Philippines to convert driving licences according to the LTO Director her in CdeO.
The notice that hung in Muratalla Muhammad Airport in Lagos said when the last expat leaves remember to switch off the light.
Kind regards.
Jim.
Hi Paul- Actually the LTO is very organized its just the time it takes between processes.
Never mind we have the licences at last and thats what counts,until renewal that is hahaha!!!
Regards.
Jim.
Hi Bob!
Could you recommend or list some car driving school at general santos for my filipina-girlfriend?
Hi vallas – There are driving schools in GenSan, but to be honest, I really could not make a recommendation, because I never used any of them. Both Feyma and I already knew how to drive before we moved to GenSan, so we had no need. If I recommended any certain place, it would be totally in the blind, and I don't want to do that, because I just don't know how good or bad they are.
how to get philippine driver license while Iam in us by mail?