Do you remember how you got your driver’s license?

Today, we are celebrating thr 127th Philippine Independence Day.

For us motorists, the word "independence" evokes memories of the time when we finally took off the training wheels and were granted the privilege of driving on public roads.

In short, the day we got our driving licenses from the Land Transportation Office.

So, in celebration of our country’s Independence Day, let me regale you with a tale of how I attained my driver’s license, which, in a way, gave me a sense of what I deem as freedom.

Training arc

As a snot-nosed kid in the early 2000s, I had the privilege of learning how to drive on a private road surrounding the farm my family tilled in Isabela. I was around 16 years old back then, and with an LTO student’s permit in hand, I received plenty of instruction from my patient but stern father. And no, the Theoretical Driving Course requirement for student permits was not a thing all those years ago.

Mind you, I started my driving career on an unusual beast - an 18-seater stainless steel jeepney from Lippad Motors with a 3.9-liter 4BD1T turbodiesel mill taken from a 1980s Isuzu NPR truck. 

We had no other vehicle that was conducive for a rookie driver back then, so I had to contend with our jeepney’s very heavy clutch, less-than-stellar visibility, and considerable girth. But with dad’s sage advice, I steadily learned how to finagle its five-speed manual gearbox, albeit after experiencing minor fender benders, one of which was our own garage wall. 

It wasn’t until the early 2000s when we transferred back to Lanao Del Norte, that Dad decided I needed to get my “proper” non-professional LTO driver’s license in order to be a truly independent adult. At the time, I was already in college, but for all intents and purposes, I was still a snot-nosed kid with nary a clue of what I was getting into. 

Getting the license

Before anything else, do be aware that I received my driver’s licence sometime in 2006. And if you’re an old fart like me, one will remember that the LTO decades ago, was a very different agency. 

For starters, the LTO office I decided to go to wasn’t able to provide a practical driving exam due to the fact that its test vehicle, which was once an “oner-type jeep” was practically a pile of scrap lying in the corner of their compound. So in a way, the officials in that particular office just allowed applicants “skip” that part. 

Additionally, the LTO didn’t even have a website all those years ago. So yes, one had to hoof it out to the nearest LTO licensing facility, wait for a bit for the written exam, and a few hours more for the various other steps. 

So, after a day of staring blankly at LTO posters, I finally did it, I was officially a holder of a driver’s license. 

Did I feel any different back then after I received the legal permission to drive on public roads? Not immediately, as it took me a while to get access to my very first personal mode of transport. But as I matured into the large man I am today, I realized that being an independent individual behind the wheel, or a driver with the freedom to go anywhere, is a two-way street - and that’s something many drivers right now might have forgotten about. 

Freedom ain’t free

Being an independent adult who holds an LTO’s driver’s license obviously comes with a lot of responsibilities. As I already said, it is a two-way street - as in, we behind the wheel are expected to be accountable for our own conduct on the road and be mindful that our heavy four or speedy two-wheeled vehicles can practically end our and other people’s lives in a split second. 

Many finger-pointers right now blame the government, and mainly the LTO, for the rise of the so-called “kamote,” but frankly speaking, the agency has come a long way in trying to fix the problem. 

In contrast to my experience when obtaining my driver’s license, the agency now offers an online portal with an extensive, yet free, library of information on driving-related laws, road rules, and even road courtesy. Not to mention the countless memorandum circulars that have sought to inculcate a mentality of safety and a sense of proper driver’s education for those seeking to get a license. 

Although the LTO and the process of obtaining a driver’s license are still far from perfect, they have vastly improved compared to what they were years ago. 

And yet, most regrettably, a significant number of our countrymen still cannot self-govern and still require the threat of things like the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) to use public roads properly. It is also much worse in certain provinces, where motorcyclists seem to be allergic to helmets, and where car drivers have this insatiable thirst for speeding.

Ultimately, no amount of regulations can step in as a surrogate for personal responsibility. Freedom ain’t free - and this applies to us as citizens and as licensed drivers. 

Full disclosure, I myself am no saint on the road at certain times, but as we celebrate our Independence Day, let’s not only honor the Philippines’ past battles for freedom but also commit to becoming better stewards of the freedoms we now enjoy on the road. 

Also read:

Passing the passion: bond, have fun with Toyota’s Kids Tech program

Sustainability in motion: eco-friendly car parts

Pedal peddlers: Auto brands that sold bikes

Connect with us through our various social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZigWheelsPhilippines

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zigwheelsph/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zigwheels

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZigWheelsPhilippines/