The Land Transportation Office’s imposition of a “computer fee” for driver’s license applicants is a ludicrous attempt at squeezing extra pesos out of the public. 

Ostensibly, the purpose of this fee remains a mystery, shrouded in bureaucratic obscurity. One might assume that computers are as ubiquitous in government offices as Manila traffic jams, rendering the notion of a special fee absurd. 

Are we to believe that LTO technocrats possess some mystical knowledge that justifies this levy? Furthermore, if taxpayer money already funds the LTO’s hardware, demanding an additional fee is akin to double-dipping into the nation’s coffers. 

It’s a classic case of having your adobo and eating it too. Instead of burdening drivers with arbitrary charges, perhaps the LTO should focus on streamlining its processes and delivering tangible benefits to the public. But alas, in the realm of Philippine bureaucracy, such common sense appears to be a distant dream.