They've had driving training ever since I first went there John, fairly sure they must have had a test and lessons even before then. I looked into it for Ana well over 10 years ago, its not cheap for the training but of course its not cheap here either. Whether the training is any good is another matter
my wife used to have a motor bike back home. no licence insurance tax or mot type thing. ive banned her from getting on a bike here. last year, when she went back for a holiday, she ended up driving around in a friends 4wd. she got a uk provisional licence 2 years ago--i put her on my insurance as a learner...and the premium DROPPED by 30 quid !! she still hasnt sat behind the wheel or had a lesson yet.
10 hours of lessons is normally considered enough to get through driving tests. Seem to remember was about 8000 to 10000 pesos for the ten hours. Driving tests are nowhere near UK standards and definitely used to be able use fixers to get the test and license. Don't assume filipino driving license means can drive to a reasonable standard.
But I'm curious to know, if in the Philippines it's mandatory to have a licence? E.g. You were stopped by Police and asked to provide a licence.. failure to do so is an offence. I imagine it is, but I guess like most developing countries, it's just not enforced.
Friend of mine got caught years ago driving in manila absolutely pickled,staggered out of a bar got in his car and plod collared himgave him an on the spot fine,took him to a cash machine,got their money and told him to drive carefully,money talks,I have a few policemen in the Philippine family,one of them has a house with a swimming pool on the roof,i kid you not,i am sure if you were stopped and made an offer discretely its going to be accepted away from prying eyes.
i would imagine being a policeman is like having a licence to print money. i bet they earn almost as much as lawyers.
No they are not the same as here, probably not even close. Easier who knows, traffic in most parts of Manila is very slow, I've been in a taxi when it collided with another vehicle, you get out pay your fee so far and find another taxi. High speed collisions are the real cause of death anywhere, that opportunity exists in the Phils but not to the same extent is does here, and with kerb discipline being so poor in the Philippines most drivers have little choice but to drive slowly, this mitigates the dangers to some degree.
Outside manila lots of opportunities to get up to dangerous speed. Toll roads north from manila are clear enough to get to decent speed. Seem to remember in trip from Puerto princess to el nido seeing a trike in a ditch when going past.
I've driven in the provinces in Luzon, in general it wasn't that bad but yes I would agree that the chances of high speed driving without understanding of the consequences is likely higher in the provinces.
My wife passed her test in the Isle of Man several years ago now. She is acutely aware of the differences in road discipline between the Philippines and U.K. and won’t drive in the Philippines (doesn’t like driving on our motorways here either though - when we travel across the U.K. I have to drive and often at the weekends too so she confines herself to tootling back and forth to work and to the shops). She often picks up on Facebook posts which are often behind the times and maybe this was the case a few days ago. But I think I am right in saying that relatives in the family back in the Philippines drive but have had no formal lessons or tests in the past.
