Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT  
PROVIDING FOR A MAGNA CARTA OF COMMUTERS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Mobility allows people to participate in society. It is vital to people’s access to basic utilities and needs. 
People need it to access education, culture, employment opportunities, and leisure. Mobility is essential for 
human growth and economic movement.  
At present, the country’s urban centers are characterized by dreadful traffic conditions, a deteriorating 
public transport system, and inadequate road networks. These are brought upon by decades of inequality, 
poor urban planning, and rapid growth of the population in the metro. 
To make things worse, the riding public who comprise 70% of the total trips in Metro Manila are only given 
20% of road space. The remaining 80% of the road space is being taken up by private transport. The 
disproportionate allocation of road space reveals that current policies on transport and mobility prioritize 
private vehicle owners over the commuting public.  
Filipino commuters, daily, suffer from the ever-worsening mobility crisis in the metro. Commuters are forced 
to endure hours of commute for relatively short distances as there are not many available options for 
people to go from one place to another.  
It is the responsibility of the State to develop and establish mobility infrastructures and transportation 
services aimed at promoting the welfare of the commuters and improving their mobility. This 
Representation files this measure in recognition of the right of the commuters to travel safely, conveniently, 
and reliably.  
This measure aims to redirect the State's focus on giving priority to active and public transport in road 
space allocation, and developing infrastructures that maximize the use and benefits of the scarce public 
space. This also enumerates the specific rights of the commuting public, ranging from the right to safe and 
accessible infrastructure to the right to participation and representation in the decision-making process for 
policies relating to transport and mobility. 
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the Filipino 
people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
September 12, 2022
3:21 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT  
PROVIDING FOR A MAGNA CARTA OF COMMUTERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta of Commuters.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State hereby recognizes mobility as a basic human need. Without 
mobility, citizens are unable to access basic services such as healthcare and education or enjoy fundamental 
freedoms. Thus, the State shall ensure that mobility is enjoyed by people of all ages, abilities, gender, and 
economic status, and not only by those who are physically fit, with private motor vehicles, or with financial 
means.  
The State further recognizes the right of commuters to travel safely, conveniently, and reliably. To this end, 
the State shall develop and establish mobility infrastructures and transportation services aimed at 
promoting the welfare of the commuters and improving their mobility. The welfare of the commuter shall 
also be the paramount objective in all decisions related to the provision of mobility infrastructure and 
transportation services.  
The State further guarantees the rights of all citizens, including the commuter sector, to participate in the 
policy formulation, planning, implementation, management, monitoring, evaluation, and decision-making 
processes of all institutions, programs, projects, and services affecting the rights, welfare, and privileges 
of the commuters.  
To attain the foregoing policy, the State shall provide the necessary mechanisms, human and financial 
resources, and legal measures to enable its citizens to enjoy fully the rights embodied in this Act. 
SEC. 3. Definitions. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
a)
Active Transport refers to non-motorized means of travel, including walking or using a bicycle;
b)
Activity Center refers to a place in a city or municipality where people gather regularly for work,
worship, education, social events, trade, exercise, leisure, or other common interests and purposes;
c)
Advance Notice refers to the provision of early information regarding any consultations with
stakeholders, for which the period from the announcement or delivery of the invitation to the
consultation event will be a minimum of 10 working days;
d)
Commuter refers to a person who needs to travel from one place to another, often using a
combination of transportation modes to get to his/her destination;
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e) Greenway refers to a road, street, or path with ample greenery and shade where private motorized 
transport is not allowed, that also serves as a recreational space or a public park, to welcome and 
encourage environmentally sustainable transportation modes, especially walking and cycling;  
f) 
High-Volume Transport Corridor refers to walkways, paths, roads, bridges, streets, or mass 
transportation terminals where the flow of people is at least 2,000 persons per hour per direction 
during peak travel periods;  
g) Micro mobility refers to travel using electronic or non-motorized vehicles weighing not more than 
100 kilograms;  
h) Mobility refers to the ability of a person to travel from one place to another to conduct daily and 
extraordinary activities and business;  
i) 
Mobility Infrastructure refers to physical facilities, such as footpaths, bicycle lanes, roads, PUV 
loading/unloading bays, PUV terminals, and public transport systems, that support and enhance a 
person's mobility.  
j) 
Private Motorized Transport refers to motorized vehicles weighing more than 100 kilograms;  
k) Public Transport refers to public sector and franchised private sector services that transport people 
over land or water, including jeepneys, UVs, buses, minibusses, railways, ferries, taxis, and 
tricycles; and  
l) 
Urbanized Municipality refers to a municipality in the Philippines where the aggregate area in the 
municipality zoned as residential, commercial, or industrial exceeds 40% of the total land area of 
the municipality. 
SEC. 5. Right to Safe, Convenient, and Affordable Public Transport Services. – The State shall 
ensure that Public Transport services are safe, dignified, convenient, comfortable, easily accessible, and 
reliable while remaining affordable to the general public. 
Concessional or discounted fares shall be offered for disadvantaged or special groups, such as students, 
senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, by law. The State shall endeavor to provide subsidies or 
incentives to compensate for discounts offered to special or disadvantaged groups other than the incentives 
provided under existing laws.  
The State shall also reward the use of Public Transport via financial and non-financial incentives to promote 
the frequent use of Public Transport. The State shall ensure that it is more economical for commuters to 
use Public Transport more frequently rather than less frequently.  
During periods when transportation services are deficient, the State shall employ alternative approaches to 
enable additional mobility options for its citizens, including the use of public resources to fill temporary 
gaps in services, such as government-owned vehicles or through government charter or lease of private 
vehicles.  
The State shall promote and ensure safe and efficient driving behavior by Public Transport drivers through 
mandatory training and more stringent licensing. To eliminate dangerous on-street competition and 
behavior among Public Transport drivers, any laws, rules, regulations, policies, and practices that provide 
an incentive for drivers related to ridership or fare revenue are hereby repealed and prohibited. Any such 
agreement between the management of Public Transport companies and Public Transport drivers shall be 
void for being contrary to law and public policy.  
Streets shall also be designed by international best practices in road safety design to reduce the occurrence 
of dangerous driving behavior.  
SEC. 6. Right to Infrastructure for Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Persons with Disabilities. – The 
State shall ensure that roads are accessible to persons with impaired mobility, among others, and that 
adequate and appropriate bicycle lanes are available. For this purpose, the State shall: 


a) Accord priority to the development of adequate sidewalks and networks of bicycle lanes that 
encourage Active Transport and provide safe and direct access to priority destinations, such as 
housing, education, business centers, markets and grocery stores, and Public Transport nodes; 
b) Ensure that all Public Transport stops are accessible to persons with disabilities and impaired 
movement, including senior citizens; 
c) Prioritize ease of access by pedestrians, especially at Public Transport stops and government 
facilities, over the mobility of private motorized transport; 
d) Ensure that safe and adequate walking and cycling infrastructure is incorporated in the design and 
implementation of road transport projects at national and local government levels; 
e) Ensure that the comprehensive land use plan of every city includes the development of a city-wide 
network of safe sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and road lanes to enable travel around the city entirely 
by foot, bicycle, or by other forms of light mobility; 
f) 
f)Ensure that travel by walking or cycling is no less direct to destinations than travel by private 
motorized transport. No commuter shall be made to travel above or below street level to cross any 
street or intersection if it is possible to implement an at-grade crossing. No commuter, when 
traveling by walking or cycling, shall be made to diverge from his or her route of travel if a 
commuter traveling by private motorized vehicle would have enjoyed a more direct trip. 
In Philippine cities and urbanized municipalities, the State shall ensure that the infrastructure of each 
barangay includes: 
a) safe footpaths or sidewalks, free of obstructions, well-protected from automobiles, compliant with 
universal design guidelines, and accessible by pregnant women, the elderly, and persons with 
strollers or wheelchairs; 
b) networks of greenways to encourage active transport modes (walking and cycling); 
c) proper lighting on all roads and footpaths to allow safe travel even after dark; 
d) tactile paving on sidewalks of high-volume transport corridors for the benefit of pedestrians who 
are blind; 
e) bicycle racks in every transportation hub or terminal and every commercial, community, and activity 
center. Such racks shall be provided at street level if possible, and at most one level above or below 
the street; and 
f) 
Safe intersections and pedestrian crossings such as provision of raised pedestrian platforms, highly 
visible warning signages, adequate street lighting, mid-crossing refuges, traffic calming for 
motorized vehicles and curb outstands to reduce road pavement crossing width. 
In addition, the State shall promote light mobility by requiring that buildings have adequate bicycle racks 
that can accommodate 10% of the anticipated users of such buildings.  
SEC. 7. Right to a Fair Share of Public Road Space. – The State shall ensure that public road space 
is used in a manner that delivers the greatest socio-economic benefit. The State shall also ensure and 
prioritize the safety of road users. For this purpose, it shall ensure that the design, engineering, and 
operation of road infrastructure are appropriate to achieve the goal of road safety and access for non-
motorized and vulnerable users.  
Because roads are a scarce public asset, the State shall ensure that road space is prioritized for modes of 
travel (e.g., public transport, walking, cycling, etc.) that move more people and maximize the productivity 
and social benefit of the public asset. The planning and design of roads must prioritize the needs of 
pedestrians, micromobility users, and Public Transport users. Public Transport shall also have priority use 
of road space over private motor vehicles.  
The State shall ensure that there is no private appropriation of public road space and footpaths for parking, 
commerce, or other activities that will restrict public use of, or access to, the road. 


SEC. 8. Right to Breathe Clean Air during Travel. – The State shall take measures to ensure that 
commuters can travel using Public Transport or active transport (e.g., walking or cycling) without 
compromising their health.  
The State shall ensure that all Public Transport vehicles comply with the emission standards set by the 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), 
and/or the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).  
The State shall also formulate and implement programs and policies aimed at encouraging citizens to 
commute using cycling or other lighter vehicles, thus reducing vehicle-related pollution emissions. The State 
shall also provide facilities and programs which support and incentivize the use of cleaner alternative fuels.  
The State shall measure air quality along major transport corridors in all cities and provide this information 
to the public in real-time. When air quality exceeds safe levels according to internationally-accepted 
standards, particularly from the World Health Organization, the State shall activate emergency procedures 
to reduce the exposure of the public, especially the young and the elderly, to unclean air.  
SEC. 9. Right to Information for Efficient and Convenient Travel. – The State shall provide timely 
and adequate information so that commuters can make good travel plans and choices about modes and 
routes. For this purpose, the State shall: 
a) Make publicly available information on all Public Transport services, including route maps, fares, 
schedules, and real-time vehicle location and availability, including traffic situation, for the 
convenience of commuters; 
b) Ensure that such information is prominently displayed at all stops of public transport services and 
at other locations deemed necessary or beneficial to commuters; 
c) Establish technical standards and regulations for the display of street maps at strategic locations 
in each neighborhood, for the reference of residents and visitors; and 
d) Ensure that, at all ports, airports, and terminals, a 24-hour information/assistance counter will be 
available to serve the needs of travelers. 
SEC. 10. Right to Special Attention during Service Breakdowns and to Compensation for 
Deficiencies in Service. – In the event of a breakdown in a Public Transport service, passengers shall 
be entitled to receive prompt and without delay, from the transport operator, a full refund of the fare and 
assistance in securing onward journeys.  
Stranded passengers shall be informed promptly about how they will be redirected to their final destination. 
If onward journeys are unavailable or unreasonably delayed, the transport operator shall provide its 
passengers with access to food, water, and a waiting area with clean restrooms and ventilation.  
SEC. 11. Right to Representation and Participation. – The State shall ensure that the welfare and 
interest of commuters are considered in all decision-making related to mobility and transportation services. 
Commuters shall be adequately consulted on all matters affecting the welfare and mobility of commuters.  
SEC. 12. Annual Public Transportation Services and Infrastructure Plans and Programs. – The 
Department of Transportation, in coordination with local government units and other concerned 
stakeholders shall prepare, annually, national public transportation services and infrastructure plans and 
programs to satisfy the evolving mobility requirements in the country, especially in urban areas.  
Local government units shall also prepare their own local public transportation services and infrastructure 
plan to ensure the mobility of their citizens within the context of their situation, needs, and stages of 
development.  


Metropolitan authorities and local government units shall also be responsible for measuring, analyzing, and 
updating the mobility requirements in each locality and developing plans and programs to address the 
mobility requirements of their citizens.  
SEC. 13. Vision Zero in Road Safety. – The State shall adopt Vision Zero in road safety, which aims to 
achieve a highway system with no fatalities or serious injuries involving road traffic. For this purpose, the 
State shall implement a comprehensive road safety program and allocate funding to implement activities 
under the five pillars of the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan, namely Road Safety Management, Safer 
Roads, Safer Vehicles, Safer Road Users, and Post-Crash Response.  
SEC. 14. Establishment of the National Transportation Safety Board. – The State shall establish a 
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which shall collect and process the mobility data for evidence-
based transport planning in light of the evolving mobility requirements in the country. The NTSB shall 
ensure that data in aid of policy and research on mobility are open and available to the public. These data 
shall include reliable and accurate road crash data, air pollution levels, and Public Transport routes and 
travel time information, among others.  
SEC. 15. Implementing Agencies. – The Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public 
Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Metropolitan Manila 
Development Authority (MMDA) and other metropolitan councils, shall be the implementing agencies for 
this Act, with DOTr as the lead implementing agency with responsibility for coordinating and monitoring all 
implementation activities.  
The foregoing agencies shall include in their respective budget funds for the effective implementation of 
this Act.  
Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, all concerned government agencies, including local 
government units, shall ensure that relevant technical standards, guidelines, and manuals are amended to 
incorporate the requirements of this Act.  
SEC. 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within one hundred and eighty (180) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the DOTr and the other implementing agencies, upon consultation with relevant non-
government organizations, civil society organizations, and academic institutions that champion the welfare 
of commuters and other stakeholders, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations for the 
effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 17. Penal Provisions. – Any person in violation of any of the provisions of this Act shall be fined 
not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (Php10,000) but not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(Php500,000).  
If the offender is a public official, he/she shall also suffer the penalty of perpetual disqualification from 
holding public office, and be dismissed from government service, after due process.  
SEC. 18. Separability Clause. – Any portion or provisions of this Act that may be declared 
unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions or provisions hereof as long 
as such remaining portions or provisions can still subsist and be given effect in their entirety. 
SEC. 19. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, memoranda, circulars, and 
other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly.  
SEC. 20. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette 
or at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 


Approved,