Duterte signs law extending validity of passports, driver's license

President Duterte signed two laws Wednesday which extends the validity of passports to 10 years and the driver's license to five years.

Under RA 10928, passports will now have a validity of 10 years

for applicants aged 18 and above and five years for applicants below the age of 18.

The new passport law also gives the issuing authority the ability to limit the period of validity to less than 10 years "whenever in the national economic interest or political stability of the country of the country such restriction is necessary."

The law also mandates the Department of Foreign Affairs to issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations (IRR) in convergence with necessary reforms to make the passport processing system seamless, convenient and pro-people, and the production and security of passports at par with technological advances and world standards.

RA 10928 shall take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Driver's license

Aside from extending the validity of the driver's license to five years, RA 10930 also mandates the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to adopt measures to prevent any alteration or falsification of a license or measures that will enable the LTO to detect any unauthorized license.

The LTO is also mandated to create an online process for the renewal of professional and nonprofessional licenses within a year after the measure is enacted.

"Except for student permits, all drivers' licenses shall be valid for five years reckoned from the birth date of the licensee, unless sooner revoked or suspended," the law states.

Any holder of a professional or nonprofessional driver's license who has not violated the Land Transportation and Traffic Code or any other traffic laws, rules and regulations during the five-year period, will be entitled to a renewal of such license for 10 years, subject to the restrictions as may be imposed by the LTO.

Local government units (LGUs), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and other agencies issuing traffic violation receipts are tasked to report to the LTO, within a time frame to be determined in the IRR, the details of the traffic violation which shall serve as the repository of all traffic violation records.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), with the assistance of the LTO and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), is mandated to promulgate within 60 days from the effectivity of RA 10930.

RA 10930 shall take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Stricter rules

Meanwhile, the new law also tasked the LTO to promulgate stricter prerequisites and guidelines before granting a driver's license to ensure that these are issued only to deserving applicants.

"Toward the end, the conduct of theoretical and practical examinations, among others, must sufficiently measure the competency of drivers and must be designed to the type of license applied and its corresponding restrictions," RA 10930 stated.

"For professional drivers, the tests must be appropriate to the vehicle and type of service the applicant intends to operate," it added.

Penalties

Issuing authorities who will be found to have connived with an applicant to get a driver's license will be removed from service. Issuing authorities who, by gross negligence, issues a driver's license to an unqualified applicant will also be removed from service.

A fine of 120,000 will be imposed on applicants who misrepresent himself during application, connived with the officer during examinations or issuance of license, falsification of documents, or cheat during examinations.

The driver's license of the erring applicant will also be revoked and will be prohibited from applying for a license for a period of two years.

The repetition of such offense shall warrant the disqualification of an individual from being granted a driver's license in addition to the 120,000-fine.

In case of death or physical injuries resulting in the loss of any part of the victim's body; or insanity, imbecility, impotence or blindness; or incapacity to work for more than 90 days, the license of the offending driver will be revoked for a period of four years after proven in court.

RA 10930 also gives the DOTr Secretary the power to increase or adjust the fine imposed once every five years provided that it will not increase five percent of the current fine sought to be increased.