Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduced by Representative GERALDINE B. ROMAN 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Public land transport workers are not second rate citizens. They should be treated at 
par with  any worker in the public sector, giving them rights and benefits during their 
productive and retirement years. These rights accrue to the workers because they are part and 
parcel of the back bone of the Filipino economy.  Transport workers do not have social 
benefits, welfare protection and even retirement benefits.   
Clearly, without public land transport workers, there can be no economic activity. All 
must be treated equal as a minimum condition to work and employment. The principle of 
equal opportunity drives what this legislative measure seeks to achieve. 
Equal opportunity is a state of fairness in which individuals are treated similarly, 
unhampered by artificial barriers, prejudices or preferences, except when particular 
distinctions can be explicitly justified. The intent is that the important jobs in an organization 
should go to the people who are most qualified – persons most likely to perform ably in a 
given task – and not go to persons for reasons deemed arbitrary or irrelevant, such as 
circumstances of birth, upbringing, having well-connected relatives or friends, religion, sex, 
ethnicity, race, caste or involuntary personal attributes such as disability, age, gender 
disability, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation.  
According to proponents of the concept, chances for advancement should be open to 
everybody without regard for wealth, status, or membership in a privileged group.  The idea 
is to remove arbitrariness from the selection process and base it on some "pre-agreed basis of 
fairness, with the assessment process being related to the type of position" and emphasizing 
procedural and legal means.  
Individuals should succeed or fail based on their efforts and not extraneous 
circumstances such as having well-connected parents. Equal opportunity is opposed to 
nepotism and  plays a role in whether a social structure is seen as legitimate.   The concept is 
applicable in areas of public life in which benefits are earned and received such as 
employment and education   although it can apply to many other areas as well. Equal 
opportunity is central to the concept of meritocracy.  
October 12, 2022
9:42 am
5534


2
There are different types of equal opportunity: formal quality of opportunity, 
substantive equality of opportunity, equality of fair opportunity, level playing field and 
meritocracy. Consequently, a people-centered legislation is what is being proposed with this 
measure. 
The measure targets the workers and operators of the Tricycle Public Conveyance 
units, transport cooperatives, jeepney operators and drivers association, taxis, UV Express 
and at the same time takes into careful review the various provisions of the Certificate of 
Public Conveyance. In the process of legislation, we will be reviewing the policies and 
implementation programs of the LTFRB to ensure the use of Route Measurement Capacity 
(RMC) in the issuance of franchises. 
We do not subscribe to just the duties and responsibilities of operators and drivers, 
instead we would like to promote the rights and privileges of public transport workers 
pursuant to the universally held equal opportunity principle. 
Approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
GERALDINE B. ROMAN 


3
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduced by Representative GERALDINE B. ROMAN 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR PUBLIC LAND 
TRANSPORT WORKERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled: 
Chapter 1: General Provisions 
SECTION 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta for Public Land 
Transport Workers.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the significant role of the 
workers in the public land transport in the development of our economy. The public land 
transport workers play a vital role of ferrying the commuting public to their destination such 
as to their places of work, to the school for the children to attend classes, to the market to buy 
their goods and food supplies, to the tourism sites for the tourist to visit and such all other 
activities that require the commuting public to travel to a certain point of destination. It is 
therefore imperative for the State to promote the safety, welfare, security and protection of 
the public land transport workers, the riding public as well as to develop our country’s public 
land transport system.  
The State affirms that the current condition of the public land transport system 
requires further development and improvement in order to serve the public effectively in their 
day-to- day business and social activities. The State shall endeavor to develop plans, policies, 
programs and mechanisms to address these inequalities in the socio-political and socio-
economic conditions of public land transport workers. 
In pursuance of this policy, the State shall address to resolve these inequalities 
through this Act which aims to promote the welfare, security and protection of the public land 
transport workers. It shall ensure the participation of transport workers in policy formulation, 
planning, organization, evaluation, monitoring and implementation of plans, programs and 
projects under this Act. 
5534


 
4
The State shall further support the research, technology, systems, training and 
education programs as may be provided under this Act in order to encourage the active 
participation of transport workers. 
 
SEC. 3. Declaration of the Principle of Equal Opportunity. – The State recognizes 
that all individuals have the right to equal opportunity to live decently and with dignity. 
Every individual has the right to participate and be given access to information relating to the 
decision-making processes that affects their lives and well-being.  
 
The State further declares that the public land transport workers are individuals 
deserving of decent life and dignity. They should be given the opportunity to live a life of 
normalcy, living in co-existence with other workers who are living a peaceful and productive 
life, secured and protected by law. 
 
The State also affirms that land transport workers are deemed considered as 
professionals in their own right in as much as they are holders of professional driver’s license 
and performing their task of serving the commuting public.    
 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
mean:  
  
a) Transport Worker – refers to an individual who works as an informal worker by 
contracting or leasing a public utility vehicle for his use to provide service to the 
commuting public for a fee prescribed by a fare matrix.   
b) Operator – refers to an owner of a vehicle registered with a Certificate of Public 
Conveyance franchise which allowed the public utility unit to operate within a 
specific route line. 
c) CPC – refers to the Certificate of Public Conveyance certificate issued by the 
LTFRB or the OTC stating the approved route line of the vehicle to service the 
commuting public. 
d) RMC – refers to the Route Measurement Capacity study being conducted by the 
DOTR or the LTFRB to measure the capacity of a certain route line in terms of 
serviceable ratio of possible number of riding commuters along a certain route.  
e) MTOP – refers to the Municipal Tricycle Operating Permit being issued by the 
Local Government Unit as a permit to operate for tricycle units plying a specific 
route.  
f) Transport Organization – refers to the organization whose members are the drivers 
and operators of public conveyance vehicles. They may be classified as operators 
and drivers association duly registered with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission. This can be any of the following: TODA, JODA, UVODA, BODA, 
and TDA. It also refers to Operators and Drivers organizations duly registered 
with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Transport 
Cooperatives duly registered with the Office of Transport Cooperatives (OTC) 
g) DOTR – refers to the Department of Transportation 
h) LTFRB – refers to the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board 
i) OTC – refers to the Office of the Transport Cooperative under DOTR 
j) PPLTC – refers to the Presidential Public Land Transport Commission, an office 
under the Office of the President, which shall be tasked to assist the President in 
managing the affairs of the public land transport. 
 
 
 


 
5
k) PLTWC – refers to the Land Transport Workers Confederation, an organization 
that may be created and organized by the federated organization of land transport 
organizations to serve as their umbrella organization to represent them in any 
forum which are related to their general welfare and concerns. 
l) TWF – refers to the Transport Workers Fund, a provident fund that may be 
created to serve as an institution that would generate the collective fund of the 
transport workers and will cater to the financial and retirement fund of the 
transport workers. 
m) PTIP – refers to the Public Transport Insurance Pool, an organization of Insurance 
companies who shall cater to the insurance protection of the transport workers and 
public commuters. 
 
Chapter II – Specific Provisions 
 
SEC. 5. Coverage. – This Act shall apply to all public land transport workers except 
those who are regularly employed by transport companies and are regularly receiving salaries 
and emoluments from a duly registered transport company, protected by the Labor Code of 
the Philippines.  
 
The transport workers covered under this Act shall refer to the informal workers in the 
public land transport who are working under a contract of leasing the public utility unit and 
has no employer-employee relationship with the public utility vehicle owner. Also covered 
are the transport workers of transport cooperatives who are working under the same terms 
and conditions as an informal worker in the transport cooperative. Individual operators of 
single unit public utility vehicle may be covered provided that he becomes a member of a 
transport workers organization and working as a regular member. 
 
SEC. 6. Transport Worker. – as defined in Section 4 of this Act, these are 
individual s who work in public land transport either as a driver, conductor, mechanic or 
terminal barker. He may be categorized as tricycle driver, public utility jeepney driver, UV 
express driver, taxi driver, bus driver, and habal habal driver. They are mostly working as a 
lessee of a public utility vehicle earning an income after spending for the fuel and paying off 
the agreed boundary fee or the lease amount of the vehicle they are using. Most do not have 
social protection benefit such as health insurance and life insurance. They also do not have 
leave incentives and retirement benefits. 
 
SEC. 7. Social Protection and Retirement Program. – This Act aims to establish 
and provide for a program to ensure the welfare and security of public land transport workers. 
It aims to provide equal opportunity for workers in the informal sector such as the public land 
transport workers to avail of health and life insurance coverage for their protection and a 
retirement program for their security and welfare.  
 
In order to achieve this end, there shall be established a provident savings program 
specifically designed for the public land transport workers which shall serve as their 
retirement fund. It shall provide a guaranteed interest income on their savings and shall be 
withdrawn upon maturity of their membership or when they reach their retirement age. It 
shall also provide a guaranteed insurance benefit upon the death of the member on top of the 
full payment of his earned contribution in the provident fund. It shall also assist the transport 
worker in their dire financial need in terms of emergency loan privileges that they can avail 
of upon a certain membership residency period requirement. The State shall guarantee the 
security of the public transport workers fund and shall provide for its initial investment. 
 


 
6
SEC. 8. Transport Workers Fund. – The State recognizing the vital role that the 
public land transport workers play in providing service to the public and their contribution to 
the national welfare. As such, there shall be created and established provident savings fund 
that shall be named as the “Transport Workers Fund” (TWF).  
 
The TWF is a provident savings program that is specifically designed for the public 
land transport workers. The owners of the TWF shall be the duly registered transport workers 
who contribute to its fund with the participation of their operators who provides a counterpart 
contribution which serve as retirement fund to their drivers.  
 
The public land transport worker who signs and participates in the program shall 
contribute a certain amount and the operator of the public utility vehicle shall provide an 
equal amount as his counterpart contribution. The amount of contribution may be determined 
by an actuarial study which will prescribe for a computation of the desired retirement benefit 
after a certain maturity period. It shall also prescribe for an insurance benefit of its members 
upon occurrence of death or permanent disability on top of the full return of the member’s 
accumulated savings.  
 
The TWF shall also extend emergency loans to its members,  Provided that the 
members have already completed their residency period requirement of at least twenty four 
(24) months of contribution. The members of the TWF can avail of at least 60% of their total 
accumulated value of their contribution. The members contribution shall have a guaranteed 
interest income of at least 6% per annum.  
 
The Fund can only be invested in blue chips or government security deposits. Since 
the TWF is guaranteed by the Republic of the Philippines, the Trustees of the Fund shall be 
the Secretaries of the concerned government agencies, namely:  Department of Finance 
(DOF), Department of Transportation (DOTR), Department of Labor and Employment 
(DOLE), Department of Budget and management (DBM), the representative of the Office of 
the President as may be represented by the Head of the Presidential Public Land Transport 
Commission (PPLTC), representatives from each of the two chambers of Congress and two 
(2) representatives of the Transport Workers who shall be endorsed by the Public Land 
Transport Workers Confederation (PLTWC), all of whom shall be appointed by the President 
of the Republic of the Philippines. 
 
SEC. 9. The PPLTC or the Presidential Public Land Transport Commission. – 
The Presidential Public Land Transport Commission, hereinafter referred to as PPLTC, shall 
be established, created by and be under the Office of the President. The PPLTC shall be the 
policy making body of the public land transport system of the country and shall be directly in 
charge in the management of the affairs of the public land transport system.  
It shall monitor the situation and condition of the public land transportation and shall 
also act as an adjudicator in the complaints, issues, and grievances of the public land 
transport workers. It shall principally be involved in the planning, management and direction 
of the public land transport system in the country and shall be headed by a Commissioner and 
two (2) deputy Commissioners. 
 
SEC. 10. The Public Land Transport Workers Confederation. – Pursuant to this 
Act, the Public Land Transport Workers Confederation, hereinafter cited as PLTWC, shall be 
organized by the various groups of the public land transport workers to serve as their 
umbrella organization to represent them in the management of the affairs of their sector.  
 


 
7
It shall be accredited by the PPLTC as the main organization representing the public 
land transport workers. It shall be directly registered with the Department of Labor and 
Employment as a worker’s organization and shall enjoy the benefits and privileges extended 
by the government through the Department of Transportation.  
 
Being a duly registered worker’s organization, the PLTWC is prohibited in exercising 
the right to strike as it is not classified as a labor organization under the Labor Code of the 
Philippines. It is detrimental to the country and its economy if the public land transport 
workers engage in strike or work stoppage as it would prejudice the public in their collective 
rights to travel conveniently to their places of destination particularly in going to their 
workplace.  
 
The PLTWC shall organize themselves as a confederation of various of public land 
transport workers federations for purposes of representation and participation in the 
discussion of issues and concerns affecting the public land transport sector. It shall privately 
be funded by the member organizations which is deemed necessary for it to exist and operate.  
 
The PLTWC shall be considered as a non-government organization but shall be duly 
accredited as the sole and exclusive body to represent the concerns of the public land 
transport workers. It shall decide on policies and resolutions during their general membership 
meeting of which major resolutions concerning national issues and concerns shall be 
approved by its general membership.  
 
The PLTWC shall be given due cognizance and accreditation by national government 
agencies such as the DSWD, PCSO, PAGCOR, DOH, DOLE, DOTR, TESDA, LTFRB, 
OTC and the Local Government Units (LGU’s) in seeking assistance for the benefit of their 
members.  
 
SEC. 11. Public Transport Insurance Pool (PTIP). – There shall be organized a 
Public Transport Insurance Pool, hereinafter referred to as PTIP, which is an aggrupation of 
duly accredited insurance companies providing Third Party Liability insurance for both 
private and public land transport vehicles.  
 
For purposes of this Act, the Insurance Pool shall be created and organized by the 
insurance companies under the auspices of the Insurance Commission, in order to create an 
insurance pooling of insurance companies providing for Third Party Liability insurance 
coverage for public land utility vehicles.  
All public land utility vehicles are mandated to secure TPL insurance coverage upon 
its renewal of vehicle registration with the Land Transport Office (LTO); Provided, however 
that  a secured and fast claims processing of incidents of death of the driver or the passenger 
shall be in order, enjoining duly registered and accredited insurance provider to create a pool 
which will be managed by a pool administrator who shall collect the TPL insurance premium 
for and in behalf of the insurance companies and shall also be in charge of the processing of 
the claims.  
 
The insurance pool administrator shall remit the collected premium to each of the 
insurance companies under the pool and a portion of the premium shall be retained to defray 
the cost of the claims filed before its office. For purposes of this Act, the claims should be 
processed within seven (7) working days. The insurance pool must provide a definitive 
coverage of the third-party liability insurance under the automotive third-party liability 
insurance coverage.  
 


 
8
The insurance pool shall provide for bodily injury liability cover cost resulting from 
injuries to a person such as hospital care, lost wages, and pain and suffering due to the 
accident; and property damage liability costs resulting from damages to or loss of property.  
 
It shall be the main role of the insurance pool administrator to educate the transport 
workers and the commuting public as well. By this Act, the LTO shall cater only to the 
insurance pool coverage as a prior requirement before the registration of public land transport 
vehicles.  
 
Chapter III – Other Provisions 
 
 
SEC. 12. The Public Land Transport System. – The State recognizes the issues and 
concerns raised by the transport workers particularly on the issues of their route lines that 
affects their livelihood and well-being. There are route lines that are over capacity as to the 
numbers of the transport utility vehicles operating within an approved route line consequently 
affecting the opportunity to earn decent income leading to unhealthy competition, affecting 
passengers along the route.  
 
The  undisciplined behavior results to reckless driving, competing for passengers to 
board their vehicles, thus resulting to traffic violations and falling prey to traffic enforcers. 
 
The over capacity of route lines is due to unreasonable number of issuances of the 
Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) franchises within their routes due to the lack of 
enforcement on the Route Measurement Capacity by the LTFRB in its issuance. Further,  the 
cost of securing the CPC franchises had reached unreasonable cost thereby increasing the 
lease price or the boundary to the prejudice of drivers who lease their vehicles.  
 
In the issuance of the Municipal Tricycle Operating Permit (MTOP) by the local 
government units, the tricycle drivers have to compete with each other along the route. 
Pursuant to this Act, the PPLTC shall conduct planning and review of the public land 
transport system, issue directives on traffic management and enforcement system as well 
direct the LGUs to submit their respective traffic management plan and public transport 
management ordinances to align and harmonize the same, ensuring that the last mile in the 
road networks are serviced. 
 
 
SEC. 13. Office of the Transport Cooperative. – an Office of the Transport 
Cooperative, or OTC shall be established to encourage the informal workers to join 
organizations to represent them towards the promotion of their rights, welfare and security. 
The OTC shall promote cooperative undertaking amongst the workers in the public transport 
sector to give them a sense of ownership and belonging as an entrepreneur while doing their 
craft in service to the general public. Pursuant to this Act, the OTC shall submit to the 
PPLTC its proposed plans, programs and projects for the public transport cooperatives 
subject to review, assessment and possible amendments. 
 
Chapter IV – Transitory Provisions 
 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations  (IRR). – As the lead agency, the 
Presidential Public Land Transport Commission (PPLTC) shall, in coordination with the 
Department of Transportation and all concerned government agencies including the 
representatives of both chambers of Congress as observers and with the participation of the 
Public Land Transport Workers Confederation (PLTWC), formulate the Implementing Rules 
and Regulations (IRR) of this Act within one hundred eighty (180) days after its effectivity. 


 
9
 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provisions not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree, executive order, letter of 
instruction, administrative order, rules, or regulations contrary to, or inconsistent with this 
Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,