874 violations in 7 months: LTO chief Angog urges iKalinga motorists—‘Register, get licensed, drive safely’

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — A total of 874 traffic violations were recorded from January to July 2026 in Tabuk City, according to data from the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Kalinga, prompting authorities to remind motorists to secure valid licenses, keep their vehicles registered, and observe road safety rules.

The violations involved motorists caught driving without valid licenses, using unregistered motor vehicles, failing to wear the required safety helmet, and committing other traffic violations during the seven-month period.

Get licensed before hitting the road

In an interview with GURU Press, LTO-Kalinga District Chief Jennilyn C. Angog explained the process of obtaining a driver’s license, emphasizing that applicants must complete the required 15-hour Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) before applying for a student permit.

The student permit allows applicants to practice driving before they proceed to the practical driving course and take the required written and practical examinations for a non-professional driver’s license.

“...Kung kukuha ka ng license, you have to undergo 15 hrs of theoretical driving course sa mga LTO-accredited schools. Age restriction for student permit is 16, but you cannot apply for driver’s license until you reach 17 yrs. old. After that, you can apply for student permit. The student permit can be used for driving practice. Then kung ready na ulit sila kumuha ng non-prof license, pupunta ulit sila sa driving school for practical driving course and kung meron na silang certificate, puwede na natin sila bigyan ng lisensiya. However, they have to pass the practical and written exam,” Angog said.

She explained that the written examination covers the lessons included in the TDC.

Free TDC for residents

Angog acknowledged that the cost of taking the required TDC at private driving schools can be a challenge for some residents, particularly students.

To address this, the LTO has partnered with barangays to conduct free TDC sessions for residents.

“Actually, we conduct naman mga free TDC sa mga barangays. We actually did two lectures at Dagupan, 10 barangays na ang napuntahan na namin. Mga barangay captains ang nag-request actually if we could conduct free TDC sa kanilang constituents,” she said.

According to Angog, barangay officials reported that some students could not afford the cost of taking the 15-hour TDC at private driving schools, prompting them to seek assistance from the LTO.

Register vehicles, avoid costly penalties

Angog also emphasized the importance of keeping motor vehicles properly registered, warning motorists that failing to renew their registration could result in significantly higher penalties if they are apprehended.

“Dagituy unregistered, nalaka ngay ti ag-register kaysa ngay ma-multa ka ti 12,000. One year, one month and one day nga ma-late, ket nu matiliw ka, 12K. For both motor and sasakyan, diba nagrigat jay 12K nga bayadan, and then masuspend metlang license mo,” she said.

Angog noted that regular registration is considerably cheaper compared with the potential penalty for operating an unregistered vehicle.

“For example, nu agbayad ka ti register ti motor ket 300 lang, ket nu matiliw ka ti unregistered ket 12K. Ang mga sasakyan, dagiyay us-usaren tayo nga lugan, ket 2K to 2,500 met range na ti lugan. Kaya nu mabalbalin, ket ag-register tayo,” she added.

Angog: Don’t click suspicious links

Aside from traffic violations, Angog also reminded the public to be cautious of text scams containing suspicious links, urging residents not to click on them.

She likewise appealed to motorists and parents to help promote responsible driving among young people by ensuring that those who drive vehicles are properly licensed.

“Ag-titinulung tayo, pati dagiyay text scams nga adda ti link na, haan yu nga i-click diyay. Pati metlang dagiyay parents, kuma met dagiyay us-usaren ti annak da, ta umay da i-register. Kasanu sabali ngay papanan da ket nagpaspas da ket maaksidente da pay. Pati metlang kuma license, umay dan dituy office nga agala,” Angog said.

Angog’s reminders come as the LTO continues to encourage motorists to comply with licensing and vehicle registration requirements and practice responsible driving to help prevent road accidents and other traffic-related incidents.