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Republic of the Philippines % BY:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. z

‘Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO,_ 5098

Introduced by: Hon. Julieta R. Cortuna
Representatives, A TEACHER Party-list

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 without the necessary experience and inherent
attitude or habit of safe driving could drive or operate public utility vehicles, It is about time that
introduce an improved system of allowing any person to drive or operate public utility vehicle.

Requiring a special license for public utility drivers will surely pave the way towards
improving the skills, attitude and safe driving habits of public utility drivers due to the fact that
their skills, attitude and driving habits will be considered prior to the issuance of a public utility
driver's license

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

QRTUNA


“

Republic of the Philippines.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO._ 5098

Introduced by: Hon. Julieta R. Cortuna
Representatives, A TEACHER Party-list

AN ACT
REQUIRING A SPECIAL LICENSE FOR PUBLIC UTILITY DRIVERS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be know 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.


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©) Public utility tricycle — any mode of public transport which can carry between one
(1) to six 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 own and/or operate
public utility vehicles regardless of capacity.

SECTION 4. Special License — All public utility drivers are hereby required to secure a
Utility Driver’s License before being allowed to drive any form of public utility transportation.

‘The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is hereby mandated to create a Special Driver's
Licensing Division that administer the issuance of Utility Driver's Licenses.

No Public Utility Driver’s License shall be issued unless the following conditions shall
have been complied with

a) Fifteen (15) days of actual driving examination for public utility train, five (5)
days for bus drivers, five (5) days for public utility jeeps, and three (3) day for
tricycles that will show the actual safe driving habits of the utility bus, jeep or
tricycle driver applicant,

b) A certificate of safe driving habits issued by an accredited private driving
evaluation entity.

SECTION 5S. 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 obligate to pay
cach 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 vietim

For public utility tricycles, the insurance coverage shall obligate 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) kilometres per hour of speed. All drivers and or operators of public utility
vehicles must ensure that speed meters are functioning while the public utility vehicles are in
operation. At the instance that a driver or operator detects fault or malfunction of the speed
meter, the driver of operator concern must immediately request passengers to disembark and
bring the vehicle to a shop for immediate repair of speed meter.

SECTION 7.Penalties. ~ Any person whether of juridical, or operator who shall be found
guilty violating the provisions of this Act shall be meted the following penalties:

a) For persons driving a public utility vehicle without the necessary Utility Driver’s
License, a penalty of three (3) months imprisonment and a fine of fifty thousand
pesos (P50,000);

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 will be required to undergo a five (5) day refresher
course on safe driving. Drivers who are guilty of five violation shall no longer be allowed to
drive or operate a public utility vehicle.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulation. — The Land Transportation office
(LTO) is hereby mandated to issue the necessary implementing rules and regulation 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, Affectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,