By Gerome Dalipe IV
A 40-year-old mother from Poblacion-Ylaya, Dumarao, Capiz, exemplified resilience and determination as she attended the first batch of the free 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) offered by the Land Transportation Office Region 6 (LTO-6).
Carrying her 10-month-old infant, Maria Cristina Valenzuela joined the initiative as part of the agency’s celebration of National Women’s Month 2025.
The program, aimed at empowering women through accessible driver education, seeks to promote road safety across Western Visayas.
It provides participants with essential knowledge on traffic laws, road safety, and responsible driving practices—requirements for first-time driver’s license applicants.
Valenzuela, who aspires to obtain a driver’s license to operate her family’s sedan, encouraged others to go through the proper application process.
“I want to go through the legitimate process to avoid problems later on. There’s no shortcut to doing things right,” she said in Hiligaynon.
The TDC, hosted at the LTO-6 Driver’s Education Center in Iloilo City, runs on March 11-12 and March 13-14, 2025.
Around 150 women are expected to benefit from the program, which also provides complimentary TDC certificates.
These certificates, typically costing PHP 1,000 in private driving schools, help reduce the financial burden for participants.
“This program is vital in creating safer roads by making driver education accessible to all, especially to women,” said LTO-6 Regional Director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II.
He emphasized the urgency of road safety education, noting that the Philippines records an average of 12,000 road crash fatalities annually, with about 500 deaths occurring in Western Visayas alone. Geduspan emphasized that education is the key to reducing these alarming statistics.
The free TDC program is part of LTO’s broader outreach efforts to address road safety concerns.
Alongside this, LTO Region 6 has been conducting operations to curb unregistered vehicles, illegal operations (colorum), and expired licenses.
“This is the LTO’s way of recognizing the vital role of Filipino women in society, especially as partners in ensuring the safety of all road users,” said LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II.
Assistant Regional Director Jeck Conlu encouraged women to take advantage of the program, emphasizing that obtaining a driver’s license has become more accessible.
“Help us spread the word that the process is now easier. Our regional director has streamlined it to ensure convenience for applicants,” Conlu said.
Facilitated by LTO-6’s Traffic Safety Unit, led by Ms. Mel Joy Gaurano, the program reflects the agency’s commitment to fostering gender inclusivity and safer roads through education.