Learn to Drive at Smart Driving School

How to get a Student Driver Permit from LTO

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Before my son's graduation in high school, I promised that I will enroll him in a driving school.  The reason I had in mind  was because he wanted to get a course on BS Aircraft Maintenance Technology.  I just thought that it would be better for him to have an experience and proper training on how machines work and learning to drive was a good start.  I started hunting for the best driving school around town.  He was still at minority age thus I got to select a driving school that will make my son safe while learning how to drive.  I asked suggestions from friends and researched on the net and read blogs about it.  I sent email to different driving schools to send me quotations.  The one that got my attention was the Smart Driving School.  They sent me their brochures and suggested the nearest branch to our residence.  You can check the list below for the nearest branch to you with corresponding contact details.  My husband accompanied my son to their office to enroll for the beginner's course and also for him to check if it was a good choice.  I received no complaints from my two gentlemen so we proceeded with the plan.  After enrollment, the next thing we needed to secure was the student driver's permit.  You can read my post about getting a student driver's permit here.

The enrollment fee was quite affordable than in other driving schools.  Included in the package were free licensing assistance, driving seminar,student assessment and defensive driving orientation.

Based on my son's assessment, the instructor assigned to him was quite good as he knows how to motivate him to learn and his teaching style made him confident that he can drive a motor vehicle.  It was the first time he got hold of the steering wheel but he managed to drive along the main road even on his first day.  After the five-day course, he was able to drive along highways and park the car perfectly.  Not bad for a five-hour course.  I intend to continue his lesson until the 15th hour but school days came and he couldn't find time to include it in his schedule.  The good thing was, he was able to learn on how to operate a motor vehicle and maybe apply some of the knowledge he gained from that training.  Also, I found out that he really has the courage to pursue things that he liked doing so I feel safe that he will not fail in his chosen career.  As his parents, we will always support him so he may be able to attain his goal.

 If you are interested to enroll in Smart Driving School, check out the list of branches below which they provided me. Call them up to get more information.

Smart Driving School Branches:

 CALOOCAN CITY
500 A. MABINI ST.​​288-3784
(Near City Hall, beside San Roque Cathedral)

CAVITE
KM. 17 AGUINALDO HIGHWAY,​​046-519-0153
PANAPAAN VI, BACOOR​​02-514-0065
(In front of AICS; Near Uratex Foam)

LAS PIÑAS
482 A CRN Ave. 1, GOODYEAR PARK SUBD.,​​399-2033
ALMANZA UNO
(Infront of BIR near BF Almanza)

MAKATI CITY
1653 2ND FLR., EVANGELISTA ST., BRGY BANGKAL​​889-9372
(in front of Mercury Drug)

MANDALUYONG CITY
MAYSILO ST, COR  SAN FRANCISCO ST.​​534-7152
(Mandaluyong Circle)

ST. FRANCIS SQUARE MALL​​631-1663
GI-012 (near LBC & Western Union)

FORUM ROBINSONS​​585-7027
LG/F Stall 00714 Pioneer

MANILA CITY
2136 ESPAÑA Blvd. SAMPALOC, MANILA​​781-6567
(near LTO, Meralco & SSS)

STALL #08 GROUND FLOOR, HARRISON PLAZA​​559-1099
(in front of Shop Wise)

V.MAPA COR. MAGSAYSAY BLVD., ​516-2209
STA MESA, MANILA
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FRC BDLG. UNIT G5 P. Gil St. cor. Taft Ave.,​​940-9964
Malate, Manila (in front of PCU)

3381-3385 NEW PANADEROS ST., Gabby's,​​399-2210
Sta. Ana, Manila(beside Honda Motorcycle)

MARIKINA CITY
SUNGA APARTMENT along MARCOS HIGHWAY,​​401-7598
Brgy. SAN JOSE (in front of Robinsons Metro East)

MUNTINLUPA CITY
125 National Road, Brgy, Bayanan Muntinlupa City​​782-3284
In front of K-Servico, Near Amber Restaurant

PARANAQUE
QUIRINO AVENUE, BRGY. DON GALO​​851-0183
(near Sta.Monica Chapel & 7-11)

PRINCE CLASSIC BLDG. DONA SOLEDAD AVE.,​​239-7564
BRGY. DON BOSCO (In front of Caltex)

TEOVILLE SUBD., BF HOMES​​828-0145
#23 Cristabel Bldg., President Avenue​

SUCAT, PARANAQUE​​794-3003
(In front of PATTS College)

PASIG CITY
SHAW BLVD. COR. PIONEER, PASIG​​634-0552
(in front of Caltex & 10.Q)

SM SUPER CENTER PASIG​​470-3332
WS-002 Carpark Area (Service Lane)

COUNTRYSIDE ORTIGAS EXT., PASIG​​470-5851
(In front of Prince Arcade & near Ever Gotesco Mall)​​514-2818

DR. SIXTO AVE., COR. PILAPIL.​​642-4391
(near Meralco in front of Premier Bank)

QUEZON CITY
ALI MALL, Cubao​​709-4286
(2nd Floor near Twin Pines gun shop)

KAMIAS ROAD​​928-3874
(Apartment A. Beside Metro Bank)

ROOSEVELT AVE. COR. DELMONTE​​415-7521
(beside Mercury Drug)

FAIRVIEW, QUEZON CITY​​431-2443
(in front of Fairview Centermall)

NOVALICHES, QUEZON CITY​​417-4638
C1188 Quirino Hi-way (near SSS)

697 QUIRINO HI-WAY, BRGY. SAN BARTOLOME​​939-6286
(beside Nova Square & San Bartolome Church)

CITIMALL PHILCOA ​920-3714
UP Diliman Quezon City​​
(2nd Fir. Beside Chowking)

RIZAL
SUMULONG ST. ANTIPOLO​​571-8116
(beside Shopwise Antipolo)

SITIO ILOG, TAYTAY (beside Puregold)​​571-8049

MONTALBAN TOWN CENTER​​736-9415
E. Rodriguez H-way Brgy. San. Jose

ANGONO, RIZAL​​295-4874
(in front of Mercury Drug near City Hall)

TANAY TOWN CENTER​​782-3244
F.T. Catapusan St., Brgy. Plaza Aldea, Tanay, Rizal


SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY​
LT. 28 BLK 5 Pecson Ville Subd.,​​782-3249
Brgy. Tungkong Mangga
San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan

SAN JUAN CITY
N. DOMINGO ST., SAN JUAN, MANILA​​722-0003
(beside Video City, in front of 7-11 )

How to Get a Student Driver's Permit from the Land Transportation Office

2016 Update:  LTO now requires medical certificate as one of the requirements for student permit (SP) application.  You can have the medical certificate from any licensed practicing physician stating that you are fit to operate a motor vehicle.  They also now provide reviewer for the written exam once your SP card is released.


Yesterday, I accompanied my son in getting his student permit from the Land Transportation Office.  As I promised that I will enroll him in a driving school this summer school break to make his vacation worthwhile.  So off we went to the nearest branch from our place.  We arrived in LTO a little past one o'clock in the afternoon.  When we get inside the compound,  we went straight to the customer service booth right beside the gate.  I was surprised that it seems the licensing system has improved compared to previous years when fixers would be the first to greet you even before you get near the gate.   So when I asked the staff where we should file our application, he readily asked for the documents and checked its completeness.  We submitted the following, duly filled- out application for driver's license, a photocopy of my son's birth certificate with school ID, a parental consent that I signed since my son is only 16 years old, a photocopy of my valid ID and his 1x1 ID picture.  After that we were told to wait for his name to be called.  I stayed at the waiting area and let my son do the transaction on his own but still keeping an eye at every window that he approached.  There was a waiting area in front of the booth and in less than three minutes, my son's name was called.  He approached the booth and was asked for an original copy of his birth certificate to prove his identity.  After that he was told to wait again while his documents were checked.  He was given a number then told to submit the document to the evaluator inside the office.   He was assigned at window 6.  There were about eight evaluators so the process did not take that long.  After several minutes, his name was called at the photo section to have his picture taken.  We waited again then after about 10 minutes, his name was called at the cashier.  He paid 317.00 then instructed to wait again for a call from window 14  or 15.   We waited for about 20 minutes before his name was called at window 15 for the release of his student permit.

It was my son's first time to transact at a government office on his own and it was good that his experience in filing his license was generally problem-free.  If services from the government would all be like this, so much time and effort would be saved and most importantly, red tape seemed to have been eradicated unlike in the past.  LTO's fast service is really worthy of acknowledgement.  BIG improvement, indeed!  Keep it up!

As for my son, he was all too excited to start his training at Smart Driving School.

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Book Review: Little Women

Today, the girls and I went to the bookstore after their Saturday class.  I resolved to have a visit there to buy books to entice them into reading.   I was told by their teacher that it is a good practice to accompany the kids in the store and have them look for books themselves.  Armed with a reading list which is a directory of suggested books for each grade level given to us by Ma’am Malou, off we went to the bookstore. 

We went to this bookstore which sells second-hand books for mommy-saving hacks, you know 😀. You can also buy back issues of magazines at discounted price.  The only problem is you cannot be sure to find the book that you are looking for since the books were not arranged as how you wished them to be.  It was quite a challenge since searching here was like hunting for hidden treasure.  So even if we have a reading list, we were not able to find the ones that we were looking for.  We ended up buying other quality books instead.

We bought three books, “All About Aircraft and Flight,” “The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian” and one of the timeless classics by Louisa May Alcott “Little Women”.  The three books only cost P270 (about $6) which, if we bought them new would cost us around $22, so it was a great buy, indeed!  

Just knowing that Little Women was one of the bestselling novels more than one hundred years ago made me interested to leaf through the pages.  I was caught by the story that I found myself finishing the book in just few days reading through it from cover to cover.  While reading this novel, I was really fascinated how the surrounding was pictured in such detail that it was like traveling through time in the 19th century.  The story revolves around the conflicts in the family, life and love of the four sisters and how they were able to face the challenges of their growing up years.   I especially liked Chapter 7 titled summer and dreams on how the author illustrated leisure time during those days.  A heartbreaking part at Chapter 23 in “all alone” was the dark days for Jo and I wanted to quote one of those lines that was trapped in my mind “I didn’t value him half enough when I had him”.  Sort of reminding me to value the person who gives me importance.  And yes, I really should be doing that and be thankful that I have with me today the person I especially enjoy being with and truly love.

Today, with the proliferation of online bookstores, you can easily find the books that you wish to buy by simply using search engines. If you wish to have this book, you can get your own copy from 

Happy Mothers Day Mommy

It’s mother's day again, i was thinking how to celebrate it with you. An answer came from my email's inbox, it was from Nuffnang about Johnson & Johnson’s “Baby your Mom” contest.  Why not? I haven't done that before as it never really crossed my mind.  You see even if I am already a mother myself, you are still positioned in my heart and mind in the same high pedestal where I put you some years ago.  The one who gave more than a world's worth just for us, your children. That is how I see you then and that's how I look up to you until now.  But wait, I was late for the contest as it is past their deadline of May 7 before midnight so I guess I will just borrow their idea. :-P

Those thoughts of treating you like a baby brought back happy memories of my childhood. Do you still remember how my face lit up at the sight of you whenever you arrive from work? I know you were aware how i looked forward to each dinner time as you always see to it that we were all together at the table and that's when we find time to share enriching conversation about our day's experience.  Did you feel the comfort I felt with each kiss and hug that you bestowed me?  Did you see the smile on my face whenever you make things possible that I thought impossible? Our weekly stroll in the then famed downtown of Avenida Rizal or our leisure getaway to the park or fine dining at a restaurant that I wished it was always weekend just to have more time with you somehow did the trick to make up for all the lost time we were supposed to spend together. The surprise gifts and sumptuous meal you prepared to make each occasions we shared truly memorable.  Yes, those simple gestures and priceless moments summarized everything on how I enjoyed my life with you as your precious little baby. 

Now it is time for me to return all those privileges to you. I know that years have taken the vigor and vitality in you, your hands and feet might be trembling now or your vision might have diminished a little. You might have forgotten some of our precious moments together so I intend to be your hands, feet and eyes to relive those moments with you.  I know how you appreciate each day that I fetch you in the same manner that you brought happiness to me on rare occasion that you find time off from work to fetch me or accompany me in school.  But I think I need to match your interest in going to the mall each time you feel like it and not let you hang around solo in the same way you accompanied me in all those leisure walks that we had when I was little.  So I promise to put an extra effort and time for that. And wait, we shouldn't miss a dinner together in a fine-dining restaurant although I know you wouldn't agree with this because you still look after me not to spend money so lavishly. But don't worry mom, you have taught me well.  And besides, it is just alright to spend for someone as precious as you are. I know how you missed us so dearly, though you have accepted the fact that time will come when it would be just you and dad together after we all got married.  I shall make you feel those moments of togetherness as similar as how we get together on a weekend only this time it gets happier with all your grandchildren.

And I shall not forget to thank you for all the years that you shared with me, with my siblings, with dad and also for sharing the love with my husband and my children.  I love you Mom and Happy Mother’s Day!

Seeing Beyond the Camera Lens

Here is the second note in the plans I wish to get done:

"Get back at those activities I want to indulge in (if my time allows it)"

Gosh! It has been more than twelve years since I last touched my unfinished cross-stitch project, my favorite pastime during my younger years. I evaluate myself if I would be able to devote much time doing it. With kids and all, I really find it difficult to complete it so after much thought, I decided to finally give it away to someone who has the luxury of time and the craving for this activity instead of leaving those materials in my drawer taking space and collecting grime.  Some things really changed and so are my yearnings for things I want to do. Now I get to enjoy reading more on days when I love doing it and I discovered the passion for writing especially when I need to relieve myself from stress, (just take the time to read my posts in this blog). I also get to indulge in activities that my kids and I will get to enjoy together like traveling, gardening, some cooking here and some decorating there and the list just keeps on growing. Oh… and did I mention photography? I really like to do that now and so are my kids. As a matter of fact, my little girl was too keen on doing it that she always seizes the camera to have her own photo op. It helps to support and nurture what your children are interested in but certainly there are drawbacks for that as my kid already broken two point and shoot cameras (thank goodness it was not DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera) and thank goodness those are old models). Now I am into scouting for repair centers for Kodak EasyShare and Sony CyberShot digital camera :( and I guess that will make me busy in the coming days. Need to have them repaired as I need to return the Sony to my cousin and I will surely need my Kodak when my kids’ indulgence kicks in again.

By the way here are some pictures taken during my family's recent travel and short vacation in the countryside, just some earth images using Sony DSC-W70 before it was broken. I chose that theme for my kids and other kids to learn how climate change affected this one part of the planet. This is not just an indulgence but an advocacy that my family is willing to do for our precious earth. May we see beyond the camera lens and start to commit one part of ourselves into doing something valuable for our precious habitat before everything goes into ashes.

    intense heat and temperature ranging from 30 to 40 degrees celcius

 

   soil too dry and eroded,

    dying plants and trees

   green grass no more, nothing for the goats and cows

   Part of Sierra Madre Mountain used to teem with green flora but is now mostly rock, soil and houses

   too parched to survive....

   I hope we will not reach a day when our earth will become like this....

My Memoirs of September

The month of September passed by so swiftly but it brought me a lot of good things which I am very much thankful and I want to remember for the rest of my life.

In September I was able to accomplish some of the plans I listed in my previous post where I said that I want to explore and find new worthwhile things, activities, people, and places. I did find interesting people and learned a lot about them in an unexpected place - my son’s school. I barely ever attend PTA meetings because of my hectic schedule at work but that month I decided that I will be there should there be any calls for parent’s meeting. That proved to be a learning experience for me and an eye-opener at the same time. I hardly notice how difficult life is for other people really, I may have seen them in movies and affected me in some ways but it never touched me the way it did when I brushed up with people who, as I may say, are less privileged, or to put it in more delicate words, more challenged than I am.

That day I get acquainted with other parents who each has a different story to tell, I made friend with someone who is also a mother of three, who maybe because of the hardship she had been going through mustered the courage to open up to me about her frustrations, her dreams for her family, her thoughts and her fears for deciding to work as DH. This encounter broadened my understanding about what drives other mothers to seek for greener pastures in other countries though it would mean sacrificing valuable times spent with their little kids. I remember my first post about working mothers and truly I can relate to her dilemma. I feel guilty for the forty hours a week that I am away from my little ones while she has to bear the pain of going away for two years, missing a part of her kids’ childhood, two years is such a long time for the little kidsL. I only have wishes and prayers for her that she may be able to attain her aspirations, that when our paths cross again, she will be in a better position than where she was before. This friendship was also a sort of revelation for me when she told me how she finds confiding to me to be as easy as telling secrets to a close friend though we only known each other for less than ten minutes. All along I thought that other people find me unapproachable but that friendship made me know myself better somehow.

I also get to learn a lot from the teacher who shared with us her experience with the kids, the effort she has to put through for being a surrogate mother for the more than forty (some naughty, some nice) kids. I found myself shallow in comparison to her and embarrassed at the reality that I sometimes burst out with anger at my own kids’ naughtiness while she was able to keep her composure and patience despite being around with all the noisy and unruly students. I respect her for the kindness and understanding she extends to the kids who are in dire need of love and attention, most especially to those who were product of broken families. I regard her highly for her generosity for sharing a part of her meager earnings to her students who do not even have a penny in their pockets to spend for a day’s snack, much worse for a day’s meal. That experience made me more grateful to my kids’ teachers because it became apparent to me how teaching is more of a passion than a profession where it requires more than someone’s intelligence, skill and patience. I am thankful to her that she is doing her best to be a good teacher to my son and to all other kids, same with my daughter’s teachers.

I also get to know how my son’s personality is developing, being around with less fortunate kids and being exposed to the harsh realities of life made my son’s outlook a bit surprising. When he talked to me how pity he was with his classmate who do not have money to spend for snack and what he did to contribute in his own little way made me proud of him. I am just thankful knowing that I am not raising a brat.

September also brought me between shivers and sighs. Wonder why? Well, I underwent an interview with the promo board. A day before that, I attended a brief discussion with a Financial Advisor (FA). There I learned about the three fiscal stages of an adult life, in her presentation it showed that at the age of 21 to 30 is the “dreaming stage” (you think about you or your family’s future: you want a house, enough funds to support you or your family, a stable job or a lucrative business, etc.), age between 31 to 50 is the “building stage” (realization of dreams, around this time, you must have at least a sound financial outlook if you don’t want to end up poor when you reach retirement age, that’s according to the FA) and 51 onwards is the “leaving a legacy stage” (whatever it is that you accumulated or built that you will bequeath to your offspring, it could be wealth or debt). The presentation also showed a proven study of the percentage of people where they are most likely be situated at retirement age, the least in the statistics is the 1% “wealthy” and the highest 63% “broke”, “financially independent”, “still working” and “dead” were also included in the categories. We were asked where we plan to be by the time we reach the age of retirement, of course I do not want to be included in the 63% I want to be on the safer side, the “financially independent” which comprises of only 7%. You might be wondering why I don’t aspire to be wealthy, I just think it seems too far-fetched to be realized and aside from that I do not want the big problems and fears associated with being rich. This meeting drowned me in more serious thought for if I must apply it in my life, I must be in the building stage by now but I guess I haven’t gotten over the dreaming stage just as yet which according to the advisor is something that must not be overlooked. So during the interview, it was on my mind, I was quivering because whatever that would come out of my mouth would make or break me. That event would determine whether my dream would be realized, whether I could move forward and proceed to the “building stage” of my life or be stuck in the dream world longer than I anticipated. Gee, it only seems like yesterday when all I do was think of spending my allowance for “non-essential things” (expensive clothes, accessories and the like, “non-essential things” or “luxury”, now I qualify them as such), but at this point in time I need to think of how to have a sound financial future (Uh huh, too serious that’s right, it’s really getting into my nerves but something I just cannot ignore!) Anyway, the outcome of the interview is yet to be known, I am praying and hoping that it will be on the positive side.

September took me closer to long-time friends and relatives too. My plan of getting in touch with them is a worthwhile and joyful activity indeed. This move rekindled relationships and opened up new undertaking. It brought me new people to meet, new letters to send, new places to visit and new dealings to engage in. Also through the goodness of a long-time friend who offered me a new venture, I now see a glimpse of hope to recover something that was lost from me. I was not able to indulge myself in my favorite pastime but I joined in a different and equally interesting activity which is mobile film-making. I only tried my hand in it, I will let you know if this leisure interest will bring me better outcome. I just hope it will, because I want to know the difference it will bring me so that I may be able to share them with you.

Should I write down moments of unhappiness here? I prefer not to, but I had a slice of them myself (as everyone does, I guess). So there goes my memoirs of September, the things, activities, peoples and places I found and experienced made me more appreciative of everything that comes my way, also, prepared me to look forward to more fulfilling days ahead.