Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO3377
Introduced by Representative ENRIQUE “Henry” M. COSUANGCO.
EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Philippines has 7 controlled access freeways - North Luzon Expressway (NLEX),
South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Metro Manila Skyway (SKYWAY), Subic Clark Tarlac
Expressway (SCTEX), Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) , Bataan Provincial Expressway
and the Manila Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX). Most of the controlled access highways or
commonly known as tollways were constructed to give motorist better and quicker access to
Metropolitan Manila. Others were constructed to shorten the travel time of motorist like the
SCTEX when going north. The government after seeing the benefits of having a controlled
access highway, has constructed more access highways like the Tarlac-Pangasinan-LaUnion
tollway (TPLEX) and the NLEX connecting to SLEX Highway. The traffic management and
road safety rules for the said highways are contained in the Land Transportation Code of the
Philippines or Republic Act 4136. This Code was passed in 1964 and was only modified thru the
passage of Presidential Decree No. 207 which adopted the road safety and traffic rules from the
1968 Vienna Convention. With the passage of the Administrative Code of the Philippines,
LGUs and other government agencies were created that also handled and implemented additional
rules and regulations regarding road safety and traffic management.

These laws however are not updated. It does not include in its classification the class of a
controlled access freeways or highway and it does not specify the allowable speed limit for such
class of roads, With no uniform regulations specified under the present law, the use of the said
roads is not maximized. The government has spent billions of pesos in the construction of these
roads with the goal of giving a better service to the growing number of motorists but in order to
attain this goal, present regulations should be updated. It is the aim of this bill to update the
present rules and regulations on road safety and traffic management by including freeways or
conirolled access highways in the classification of roads and set a uniform speed. Likewise, this
bill will give all the government agencies and its partners companies, operating such highways, a
clear and uniform rule to follow. On the other hand, motorists, with the correct speed limit
regulation, will be safer and will get their money’s worth and be able maximize the use of the
toll ways.

The immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ENRIQI jenry’ ‘;OJSUANGCO


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.3377

Introduced by Representative ENRIQUE “Henry” M. COJUANGCO

AN ACT SETTING A SPEED LIMIT FOR FREEWAYS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE THEREOF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4136
SUBSECTION (b).

Section 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY- It is hereby declared the policy of the State to secure
and safeguard the safety of it people particularly its motorist. Towards this end, the State shall
adopt new traffic rules on speed limit that will ensure that all the facilities and infrastructures
available to them may be used to its maximum but at the same time minimize the incidence of
road accidents.

Section 2. DEFINITION OF TERM- For the purpose of implementing this Act the following
term shall be defined as:

Freeway- highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic
flow and ingress/egress regulated whether by the government ageney or private entity granted by
the government contract to operate such highway.

Section 3- Section 35 of Republic Act No. 4136 Subsection (b) is hereby amended and shall
include:

(b) Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the rate of speed of any motor
vehicle shall not exceed the following:

p ; [Passengers Motor trucks and

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SPEEDS |(OS=78C7 | Mu

1. On open country roads, with no|80km. per hour | 50-km. per hour
"blinds corners" not closely bordered by

habitations.

2. On "through streets” or boulevards, |40 km. per hour | 30 km. per hour
clear of traffic, with no " blind corners,"

when so designated.
[3. On city and municipal streets, with |30 km. per hour 30 km. per hour

light traffic, when not designated
"through streets".

4. Through crowded streets, | 20 km. per hour 20 km. per hour
approaching intersections at "blind
| corners," passing school zones, passing
| other vehicles which are stationery, or
{for similar dangerous circumstances. |

'S. Freeway or highway designed |130km.per hour | 110 km. per hour
exclusively for high-speed vehicular
traffic, with all traffic flow and
ingress/egress regulated whether by the
government agency or private entity
granted by the government contract to
operate such highway



Section 4, REPEALING CLAUSE. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 5. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,