Article 96p. 96

COMMERCIAL LAWS NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS, CORPORATION, INSURANCE, TRANSPORTATION, BANKING

SECTION 22. Driver ' s License , Fees , Examination . — Every

person who desires personally to operate any motor

vehicle shall file an application to the Commissioner or

his

deputies

for

a

license

to

drive

motor

vehicles:

Provided , however , That no person shall be issued a

professional driver's license who is suffering from highly

contagious

diseases,

such

as, advanced tuberculosis,

gonorrhea, syphilis, and the like.

Each such application except in the case of enlisted men

operating

government-owned

vehicles,

shall

be

accompanied by a fee of five pesos, and shall contain

such information respecting the applicant and his ability

to operate motor vehicles, as may be required by the

Commission.

The Commissioner or his deputies shall also ascertain

that the applicant's sight and hearing are normal, and

may in their discretion, require a certificate to that effect,

signed by a reputable physician.

An examination or demonstration to show any applicant's

ability to operate motor vehicles may also be required in

the discretion of the Commissioner or his deputies.

SECTION 23. Issuance of Driver ' s License . — If, after such

examination, the Commissioner or his deputy believes

that the applicant possesses the necessary qualifications

and is proficient in the operation of motor vehicles, a

license shall be issued to such applicant upon payment of

five pesos, but prior to the issuance of said license, the

applicant

shall

furnish

three

copies

of

his

recent

photograph to be securely attached to the license, and

two copies to be filed and kept as provided by this Act. All

driver's licenses shall bear the signature and right-hand

thumb print of the licensee.

SECTION 24. Use of Driver ' s License and Badge . — Every

license issued under the provisions of this Act to any

driver shall entitle the holder thereof, while the same is

valid and effective and not suspended or revoked, to

operate the motor vehicles described in such license:

Provided , however , That every licensed professional driver,

before operating a public service motor vehicle registered

under classifications (d) to (j) inclusive of Section seven

hereof,

shall

secure

from

the

Commissioner,

upon

payment of the sum of one peso, a driver's badge which

he shall, at all times while so operating a motor vehicle,

display in plain sight on the band of his cap or on his coat

or shirt. Such driver's badge shall be of metal with a

plainly

readable

number

assigned

to

the

licensee

stamped thereon.

It shall be unlawful for any duly licensed driver to transfer,

lend or otherwise allow any person to use his license for

the purpose of enabling such person to operate a motor

vehicle.

No owner of a motor vehicle shall engage, employ, or hire

any person to operate such motor vehicle, unless the

person

sought

to

be

employed

is

a

duly

licensed

professional driver.

SECTION 25. Driver ' s Records . — Any driver who changes

his

address

shall,

within

fifteen

days,

notify

the

Commissioner in writing of his new address, name and

address of his new employer, the number of the motor

vehicle

he

is employed to operate, and such other

information as the Commissioner may require.

SECTION 26. Renewal of License . — Any license not

renewed on or before the last working day of the month

when the applicant was born shall become delinquent

and invalid, except when the license is surrendered to the

Commissioner or his deputies before the last working day

of the month of his birth in order to avoid payment of the

delinquency fees.

The fee for renewal of delinquent license shall be five

pesos

in

addition

to

the

basic

fee

as

hereinabove

prescribed.

Every applicant for renewal of license to operate any

motor vehicle shall present to the Commissioner, in

person or by mail or messenger, the license issued to the

applicant for the previous year, together with the proper

fee

of

five

pesos

and,

in

the

case

of

professional

chauffeurs,

three

copies

of

a

readily-recognized

photograph of the applicant, which photograph shall

have been taken not exceeding three years prior to the

date of applicant for renewal.

Lost license . — In case the license for the previous year

has been lost or cannot be produced, the applicant shall

obtain a duplicate in accord with Section eleven of this

Act, on penalty of refusal, by the Commissioner or his

deputies, to renew the license: Provided , however , That

the Commissioner or his deputies may, in their discretion

accept in lieu of the previous years license, the duly

signed and sworn statement of an operator to the effect

that he has not operated any motor vehicle in the

Philippines during the year or years to which no license

was issued in his name.

The

Commissioner

and

his

deputies

are

hereby

authorized to administer the oath in connection with

such affidavit.

SECTION 27. Suspension , Revocation of Driver ' s License .

— (a) The Commissioner may suspend for a period not

exceeding three months or, after hearing, revoke any

driver's license issued under the provisions of this Act,

and may order any such license to be delivered to him

whenever he has reason to believe that the holder thereof

is an improper person to operate motor vehicles, or in

operating or using a motor vehicle in, or as an accessory

to, the commission of any crime or act which endangers

the public. Any deputy of the Commissioner may, for the

same cause, suspend for a period not exceeding three

months any driver's license issued under the provisions of

this Act: Provided , That such suspension may be appealed

to the Commissioner who may, after reviewing the case,

confirm, reverse or modify the action taken by such

deputy.

(b)Whenever during any twelve-month period a driver

shall have been convicted at least three times for the

violations of any provisions of this Act or of any regulation

issued by the Commissioner or any municipal or city

ordinance relating to motor vehicle traffic not in conflict

with any of the provisions of this Act, the Commissioner

may, in his discretion, revoke or suspend the license of

such driver for a period not exceeding two years.

(c)The license suspended or revoked under the provisions

of subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not be

reinstated unless the driver has furnished a bond in

accordance with Section twenty-nine of this Act and only

after the Commissioner has satisfied himself that such

driver may again safely be permitted to operate a motor

vehicle.

(d)A decision of the Commissioner revoking or refusing

the reinstatement of a license under the provisions of this

Section may be appealed to the Secretary of Public Works

and Communications.

SECTION 28. Driver ' s Bond . — The Commissioner before

reinstating

any

driver's

license

which

has

been

suspended

or

revoked

under

the

provisions

of

the

preceding section or of any provisions of this Act, may

require such driver to post a bond in the sum of one

thousand pesos conditioned upon the satisfaction and

payment of any claim which may be filed or of any

execution which may be issued against such driver in any

case wherein said driver may be held answerable while

operating motor vehicles. The bond required in this

section shall be in such form as to render sureties liable at

least for a period of not less than one year nor more than

three

years:

Provided ,

however ,

That

upon

written

application to the Commissioner for release from such a

bond,

the

Commissioner

may

after

revoking

or

suspending the driver's license, authorize the release of

the bondsmen from further responsibility thereunder:

Provided , further , That should the Commissioner decide

not to revoke the license of a driver who has been

convicted of homicide through reckless imprudence, or of

the violation of the speed limit or of reckless driving at

least three times within a twelve-month period, the said

driver shall post a bond in the sum of not less than two

© Compiled by RGL

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