MANILA — Automotive journalist and broadcaster James Deakin took to Facebook to share his frustration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), recounting how his son’s first encounter with the agency left them disillusioned with the system.

“I tried to teach my son today that following the rules is how things get better. The LTO, however, taught him something else,” Deakin wrote in a lengthy post that quickly gained traction online.

Deakin explained that he enrolled his son Daniel in the Honda Safety Driving School’s full program, emphasizing discipline and respect for traffic rules. He also insisted that his son go through the licensing process “the legitimate way. No fixers. No shortcuts. No ‘padrino system.’”

However, Daniel’s first violation — an improper lane change on Skyway Stage 3 — was classified by a traffic officer as “Reckless Driving.” Deakin argued that the charge was excessive. “Reckless Driving isn’t just a heavier fine—it can also be a criminal offense under Philippine law that goes on permanent record. A new driver making an improper lane change at very low speed doesn’t meet that standard,” he said.

The ordeal worsened when they attempted to settle the violation at the LTO. Despite paying the ₱2,000 fine, the agency refused to release Daniel’s license without a printed and photocopied OR/CR of the vehicle, even though the car was not theirs and all details were already on the ticket. “The OR/CR requirement serves no enforcement purpose—it only exists to create another hoop,” Deakin lamented.

After securing the documents, they were told the license was automatically suspended for one month because the 15-day deadline had lapsed — a period that included Christmas, New Year holidays, and weekends when the LTO was closed. “The government gives you 15 days. Then closes for more than half of them. Demands documents that have nothing to do with the violation. Won’t accept digital copies in 2026. Then penalizes you for being late,” he wrote.

Deakin concluded that the experience undermined the very values he tried to instill in his son. “What cuts the deepest here isn’t the wasted time or money. It’s knowing that my son watched me—the guy who preaches about driving discipline and road safety, who refused shortcuts, who paid for the best training, who insisted on doing everything legitimately—get crushed by the very system I told him to trust.”

His post has since sparked widespread discussion on social media about the inefficiencies of the LTO and the challenges faced by motorists who attempt to follow the rules.

This Is How Young Filipinos Learn to Stop Trusting Government

James Deakin tried to teach his son a simple lesson. Follow the rules. Get proper training. Do things the right way. Trust the system.

That lesson did not survive their first real encounter with the Land Transportation Office.

A minor driving mistake was labeled “reckless driving.” Requirements piled up that made little sense. Deadlines were enforced even as offices were closed. Digital records were rejected in 2026. In the end, honesty did not feel rewarded. It felt punished.

For a young driver, that moment matters. First encounters shape belief. And what was learned here was not discipline, but doubt.

If the system makes honesty harder, can we blame shortcuts

We often scold Filipinos for using fixers, padrino systems, and shortcuts. But stories like this explain why those habits survive. When following the rules becomes exhausting and unforgiving, people adapt. Not because they lack values, but because the system leaves them little room to breathe.

A process meant to teach responsibility instead teaches avoidance. A system meant to build trust quietly erodes it.

The most damaging part is not the fine or the suspension. It is the message passed on. A young Filipino watched his parents do everything right and still lose.

So, can we really blame people for taking shortcuts when the straight path feels designed to break them? And if early lessons teach frustration instead of fairness, how long can we expect trust in government to last at all?

Kudos, though, to James Deakin for teaching the right thing, and good luck to his son!

Image from James Deakin/Facebook