The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will no longer oblige those with driver’s licenses valid for five and ten years to undergo additional medical examinations.
This follows the directive of LTO Chief Jay Art Tugade to amend LTO Memorandum Circular 2021-2285 or the Supplemental Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 10930.
Under the said memorandum, apart from the regular medical examination as a requirement for the application of a new or renewal of the driver’s license, it is obligatory to participate in the periodic medical exam (PME) that has been granted a 5-year and 10-year validity or validity of the driver’s license driving.
Under the current rule, the periodic medical exam of an individual with a driver’s license with a 5-year validity is done on the third year of the date of birth from obtaining the license while every fourth and seventh year of the date of birth from to get the license for the 10-year validity.
But according to LTO Chief Tugade, the agency decided not to oblige the periodic medical examination based on the study, collected data and consultations.
He also said from the data that failure to attend the periodic medical examination is not among the causes of road accidents.
“There’s no empirical data saying that the period medical examination could prevent road crashes,” according to LTO Chief Tugade.
Because of this, under the amendment to be implemented, the mandatory medical examination is only once and it is every time before obtaining or renewing a driver’s license.
“For licenses who will be issued a 5-year validity driver’s license and 10-year validity driver’s license, the medical examination shall only be required sixty (60) days prior to or on the specified renewal date,” said the LTO Chief’s memorandum Tugade
As for Filipinos with a driver’s license who work or live abroad, they will be required to undergo a medical examination within thirty days of their arrival in the Philippines before they are allowed to drive.
“We at the LTO believe that this step will bring some relief to the public because apart from not having to spend repeatedly for medical examinations, it will also avoid additional inconvenience especially for those who value time for work. Now it’s up to each individual to decide if they want to participate in the medical examination,” Tugade said.
