Dumaguete Info Search


Best Posts in Thread: Downtown Checkpoints and No Helmet Fine Info

  1. greko

    greko DI Junior Member

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    Hi Expats,

    Got caught at a checkpoint with no helmet. (Yes, I know it is foolish not to wear a helmet.) They are starting to give tickets for no helmet in Dumaguete City. The fine is 1,500 1st offence. 3,000 2nd. 5,000 third. They take your drivers license. You have to go to the main LTO office and it takes about 3+ hours to pay the fine and get your license back. The office opens at 8 and there is a line of about 30 people at 7:30 am.

    An Australian guy was given a fine 0f 5,000 because he was driving on his Australian drivers license and had been in the country for more than 3 months. So they gave him 3,000 for driving unlicensed, 1,500 no helmet and 460 I think for impound fee even though his bike had not been impounded. He was arguing but there is no sense getting angry. The law is the law and the LTO guy is just doing his job.

    Moral of the story: Wear your helmet and keep your papers in order or take a tricycle. If you have been in the country less than three months, have a copy of your passport stamp. If you have been here longer than 3 months, go to the main LTO office and get your Philippine drivers license. It cost me about 850. Your foreign license should a have motorcycle permission. The default is just car permission. If you convert your existing license, make sure your Philippine license has a 1,2 under Restrictions in the bottom left corner. 1 is for motorcycle, and 2 is for car.
     
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  2. Jack Peterson

    Jack Peterson DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Air Force

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    I think it is the other way Round, 30 day free entry then 29 days payable 29 day waiver :cookie:
     
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  3. DavyL200

    DavyL200 DI Forum Luminary ★ Global Mod ★ ★ Moderator ★ Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    Im sure you mean extendable for a max of 36 months?
     
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  4. greko

    greko DI Junior Member

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    I have the SRRV long term visa. I guess you have to have the SRRV or marriage visa to get a drivers license.
     
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  5. Solid_Pan

    Solid_Pan DI Member

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    I am not 100% sure about that. :unsure: As you can see in the link to LTO FAQ below, it says "90 days from date of arrival", not date of Visa-renewal.
    http://www.lto.gov.ph/frequently-asked-questions/license-permit.html
     
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  6. djfinn6230

    djfinn6230 DI Senior Member

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    Correct. Regarding the 90 days, we came here on the 1 year balikbayan privilege. Technically, that posed a problem for driving after the 90 days were up because the US license was no longer acceptable yet the Philippine conversion license was not possible because the remaining visa was less than 1 year. However, LTO issued the license anyway and I was not aware of the 1 year requirement at the time, just the 90 day limit. The less you know the better, sometimes.


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  7. Outcast

    Outcast DI Forum Adept

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    if your foriegn license is in English, an international licesne serves no purpose. a person may drive on their foriegn license for 90 days from the date of there last entry.
     
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  8. SkipJack

    SkipJack DI Senior Member

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    I don't know.
    Did you get your Philippine DL recently?

    When I went to the LTO they would not issue me a drivers license because I did not have a long term visa that showed I could stay in the country for longer than a year. Tourist visa extension is only valid for 6 months.

    The wording of the LTO regulations is as follows:

    In addition, for foreigners, the applicant must have been in the Philippines for at least one (1) month with proof that he/she will stay in the country for at least one (1) year from date of application.

    http://www.lto.gov.ph/license-permit-issuance/284-non-professional-driver-s-license.html

    I believe this went into effect recently and has only been enforced at the Dumaguete LTO within the last few months.
     
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  9. djfinn6230

    djfinn6230 DI Senior Member

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    Dumaguete has a different approach to foreigners than Siquijor at checkpoints. In Dumaguete they will be happy to ticket foreigners for violations. In Siquijor, when they see a foreigner they just wave them through without stopping them (in my experience. This is not a published policy). I think it makes a difference in a tourist economy. But there, most foreign tourists are really tourists lol.


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