HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE]
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session REGISTRATION UNIT

House Bill No? OO BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Emmeline Y. Aglipay - Villar

EXPLANATORY NOTE

As public service providers, it is only just and fair to assure your patrons and
customers the best possible security provisions. The protection of commuters in public
transportation, particularly in buses, should, therefore, be of utmost importance because it is
the right of every citizen to receive competitive and respectable services without having any
fear or threat of being harmed. Considering that commuters make up 80% of the daytime
population based on the data of the Department of Communication and Transportation, 1
believe that the State has an obligation to give proper attention to legislations that better
ensure the safety and welfare of our commuters. This, I believe, could be attained by
providing a closed-circuit television unit (CCTV) at every public bus in the country.

One of the major tactics that criminals use to steal from commuters at public utili
vehicles is called “Laglag Barya,” wherein a group of pick-pockets would “accidental
drop coins in buses in the attempt of stealing from passengers while they are distracted from
helping in picking up the coins. Likewise, a “Ketchup Gang” uses a similar strategy by
secretly putting ketchup on passengers in the attempt that they will open their bags to wipe it
off, giving the pick-pockets an opportunity. Such illegal activities could have been deterred if
only proper security measures were installed and utilized in buses.

The use of high-definition CCTVs in public places has been proven to be efficient,
and installing them in public transportation will definitely help ease the commuting
population’s fear amidst this growing number of commuter-related illegal activities. I believe
that CCTVs will be of great help for identifying and catching offenders and preventing
crimes in public transportation. Furthermore, CCTVs have been found to be an effective
deterrent of criminal activities. This bill, based on House Bill No. 3704 filed by Rep. Eric L.
Olivarez last 16" Congress, with some changes on the imposable fines, seeks to elevate the
safety and security standards in public transportation system, while particularly focusing on
public buses.

Beta H- Ketlan
EMMELINE Y. AGLIPAY - VILLAR
Representative, DIWA Party-list.

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

55
House Bill No._700

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Emmeline Y. Aglipay — Villar

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY INSTALLATION OF
CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION OR SURVEILLANCE (SECURITY)
CAMERA IN EVERY BUS BEING OPERATED FOR PUBLIC UTILITY IN
THE
COUNTRY.

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

SECTION 1. Name. - This Act shall be known as the "Mandatory Bus Surveillance

Act”,
SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. -

Security Camera; Surveillance Camera Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) - the use of
video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors, A security
camera as contemplated or used in this Act, is understood as a video camera that records the
ities happening inside a bus in order to detect and prevent crime and other related
situations. The terms shall be used interchangeably in this Act.

Bus - a large motor vehicle carrying passengers by road, especially one serving the
public on a fixed route and for a fare. For purposes of this act, the term "bus’ shall pertain only
to public utility buses.

Public Utility Owners’ Operators - for purposes of this Act, it shall mean owners or
operators of at least one bus offering transportation services to the public at large.

SECTION 3. Mandatory Installation of CCTV or Surveillance Camera. - All bus
‘owners or operators, whether under an existing franchise or upon application of a new one,
are hereby required to install a CCTV or surveillance camera in every bus unit he or she
presently owns or operates, or will own or operate in the future.

SECTION 4. - Allowance of Time for Owners/ Operators with Subsisting

Franchise, — Owners or operators of public utility buses under an existing franchise are given
three (3) months from the promulgation of this Act to comply with the requirement of

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installing CCTV or security cameras in the © us/es that they operate.

SECTION 5. Monitoring. - The and Transportation Franchising and Regulatory
Board (LTFRB) shall conduct regular ocular inspections after the lapse of three (3) months
from the promulgation of this Act to enst» thot al! licensed bus owners or operators have
complied with the requirements of this Act.

SECTION 6. Requirement for Ay »!' ation of a New Franchise. - Application for a
franchise to operate a bus line or s on or persons who wish to own or operate
buses as public utility vehicles, shall not be giant «| until and unless the owner or operator,
upon the inspection and assessment of the LTFT ° is ready and/or equipped to install a

CCTV or security camera devise for every bus it owns or will operate.

SECTION 7. Applicants to Obtain Certification from LTFRB, - Applicants of a
new franchise shall obtain a certification ‘rom LTERB stating that each of its buses is
equipped with a surveillance camera, and the said certification shall be attached or
incorporated to the other pertinent docents necessary for the application process of a
franchise to operate a bus line or business

SECTION 8. Pending Applications for Franchise. - Applications for franchise
already filed before the LTFRB but pending approval thereof upon the promulgation of this
‘Act shall be deferred until and unless applicants comply with the additional requirement as
provided under this Act and thereby acquire and or equip their business with necessary
security cameras. An additional requirement of obtaining Certification from the LTFRB as
stated in Section 7 hereof shall be submitted by the applicants whose franchise applications
are pending. Only upon the attainment and submission of the said certification, along with
compliance with other requirements as required by existing laws, shall the application be
finally granted or approved

SECTION 9. Twenty Four Hour Surveillance by the Bus Operator. - It shall be
the duty of every bus company or operator to assign or delegate personnel that will monitor
the video feeds of the CCTV or security cameras of its buses real-time, twenty four hours a
day, seven days a week, This is to ensure that the bus company can timely alert authorities of
an on-going crime so that the latter can act immediately and prevent the furtherance of the
said crime.

SECTION 10. Unannounced Inspections. - Authorized personnel of the LTFRB
shall conduct unannounced or surprised inspections of any public utility bus whether in
transit or parked in the terminal to ensure compliance with this Act.

SECTION 11. Violation of this Act. - Violation of any of the provisions of this Act
shall be meted with a revocation of license/franchise to operate a bus line or business and
fines in the amount of not less than Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00) but not more than
Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) to be imposed by the LTFRB and/or imprisonment for
not less than 30 days but not more than one year to be imposed by a court of competent
jurisdiction against the operator or proprietor of the business, or against the members of the
Board of Directors if the operator of the bus company is a corporation

SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of
Transportation and Communication in coordination with the LTFRB shall promulgate the

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Implementing Rules and Regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. Such rules and
regulations shall take effect upon their publication in three (3) newspapers of general
circulation

SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, letters of
instructions, executive orders, rules and regulations insofar as they are inconsistent with this
Act, are hereby repealed or amended as the case may be

SECTION 14. Separability Clause, - In the event that any provision of this Act or
any portion thereof is declared unconstitutional by a competent court, the other provisions
shall not be affected thereby and shall remain valid and enforceable.

SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after its complete
publication in at least three (3) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,