Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

18" Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill_1899

Tniroduced By: Hi

LORNA C. SILVERIO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The number of bus or any other public transport accidents lately has come
to alarming rates that leave doubts on the safety of our public transport. In most
cases, drivers been blamed for negligence that leads to these accidents.

Under current regulations, any driver who possesses a Professional
Driver’s License duly issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) can drive
a PUV without regard to his skills, experience, attitude, regard for public safety
and knowledge of traffic rules and regulations which is quite dangerous as
proven by many accidents attributed mainly by human error and negligence.

In this regard, requiring LTO to establish a system that will ask for more
requirements and conduct specialized training for PUV drivers will surely pave
the way towards improving the skills, attitude and safe driving habits of public
utility drivers which will ensure the safety of the riding public. Finally, to give
more teeth to law, stiffer penalties shall be imposed upon those who will violate
the same.

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is hereby earnestly sought.

Com le aor


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

18" Congress
First Regular Session

House BILL No. __ 1899

Introduced by: HON. LORNA C. SILVERIO

AN ACT REQUIRING PUBLIC UTILITY DRIVERS TO SECURE A SPECIAL UTILITY
LICENSE

Be it adopted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Public Utility Driver's Licensing
Act”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to enhance the safety of
public transport by ensuring that only qualified individuals will be allowed to drive or
operate public utility buses, jeeps, and other similar modes of mass public
transportation.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. — For the purpose of interpreting the provisions of this
Act, the following terms shall mean;

A). Public Utility Bus — any mode of public transport which can carry between twenty-
five (25) to sixty-five (65) passengers;

B,) Public Utility Jeep — any mode of public transport which can carry between seven
(7) to twenty-four (24) passengers;

C.) Public Utility Tricycle — any mode of transport which can carry (1) one to six (6)
passengers.

D.) Public Utility Train — any mode of public transport which can carry sixty six (66)
passengers or more.


E,) Public Utility Operator — any natural or juridical person who owns and /or operate
public utility vehicles regardless of capacity.

Section 4. Special License — All Public utility vehicles are hereby required to secure a
Utility Driver's License before being allowed to drive and ferry commuters to one place
to another.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is hereby authorized to create a Special
Driver's Licensing Division that shall exclusively administer the issuance and entertain
applications for the Utility Driver's Licenses.

No Public Utility Driver's License shall be issued unless the following conditions
‘shall have been complied with to wit;

A) Fifteen (15) days of actual driving examinations for public utility train, (10) ten days
for bus drivers and public utility jeeps, and (5) five days for tricycles that will show
the actual driving habits of the said applicants, exclusive of (2) two days orientation
Tegarding internationally accepted traffic rules and regulations;

B.) A certificate of safe driving habits to be issued by an LTO accredited private driving
evaluation entity.

Section 5. Liability Insurance — No Public Utility Driver's License shall be issued unless
the applicant shall have purchased or contracted an insurance agreement with a reliable
insurance firm to compensate damages, injuries, or death to passengers or third parties
in case of intentional, wrongful, negligent, or accidental injuries in the course of driving a
utility vehicle.

For public utility trains, buses, and jeeps, the insurance coverage shall be obligated to
Pay each injured passenger or third party not less than one hundred fifty thousand
pesos (P150,000.00), or the total cost of hospitalization of whichever is higher based on
medical assessment. In case of death, the insurance agreement shall cover the
payment of three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) for each victim

For public utility tricycles, the insurance coverage shall be obligated to pay each injured
passenger or third party not less than one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00), or
the total cost of hospitalization or whichever is higher based on medical assessment. In
case of death, the insurance agreement shall cover payment of two hundred thousand
pesos (P200,000.00) for each victim.


Section 6. Speed Limit — All public utility vehicles shall not be allowed to run faster than
sixty (60) kilometers per hour of speed. All drivers and/or operators of public utility
vehicles must ensure that speed meters are functioning while the said vehicles are in
‘operation. At the instance that the driver or operator detects a faulty or malfunctioning
‘speed meter, they must immediately request the passengers to disembark and bring the
vehicle to the repair shop to fix the necessary problem.

Section 7. Penalties — Any person whether of juridical nature or the operator who shall
have been found to be guilty violating the provisions of this Act shall be meted the
following penalties:

a.) For persons driving a utility vehicle without the necessary Utility Driver's License,
@ penalty of five (5) months imprisonment and a fine of fifty thousand
(P50,000.00);

b.) For licensed utility drivers violating any traffic regulation, a penalty of three (3)
months license suspension and a fine of ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) for the
first offense, a penalty of six (6) months license suspension and a penalty of
twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) will be meted for the second offense and
one (1) year license suspension and fine of fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) for
‘succeeding violations.

Aside from the penalties, violators shall be required to undergo a five (5) day
refresher course on safe driving. Drivers who are guilty of three consecutive
violations shall no longer be allowed to operate a public utility vehicle.

Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations — The Land Transportation Office
(LTO) is hereby mandated to issue the necessary implementing rules and
regulations within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act.

Section 9. Repealing Clause — All laws or parts of any law, orders, rules, and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or
amended accordingly.

Section 10. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

Publication in the Official Gazette or at least in two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,

Homa Ae, Pheere—