Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5902

Introduced by Honorable Estrellita B. Suansing

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to require the owner or operator of a public utility vehicle to
inscribe on the body of the vehicle the original date of its manufacture and initial use

At present, the Philippines does not impose a limitation on the age of the
vehicle when it comes to registration.

In 2016, DENR Secretary Ramon Paje Jr. has recommended that vehicles
older than 15 years be phased out to improve air quality, particularly in Metro Manila.
it was met with an uproar and resistance. Thus, as an alternative, it was suggested
that vehicles older than 15 years shall be prevented from using major roads that are
Prone to traffic because the idle time causes these vehicles to emit more toxic
substances in the air.

Major roads are primarily used by public utility vehicles, These vehicles run
for many hours and travel hundreds of kilometers every day. Being so, the public
should be aware of the road worthiness and age of these vehicles. The age of public
utility vehicles should be reckoned from the original date of manufacture. As public
utility vehicles are designed to ferry heavy loads and passengers, these vehicles
‘should be subject to more stringent regulations.

The right of the State to regulate public utilities is founded on its police power.
The functions of the LTO are essentially regulatory in nature, exercised pursuant to
the police power of the State, whose basic objectives are to achieve road safety by
ensuring the road worthiness of these motor vehicles and the competence of drivers
prescribed by Republic Act (RA) No. 4136, otherwise known as the Land
Transportation and Traffic Code. Thus, under Article III, Section 4(d) (6) of RA 4136
“the Commissioner of Land Transportation or his deputies may at any time examine
and inspect any motor vehicle to determine whether such motor vehicle is registered,


or is unsightly, unsafe, overloaded, improperly marked or equipped, or otherwise
unfit to be operated because of possible excessive damage to highways, bridges
andor culverts.” (Emphasis supplied)

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5902

Introduced by Honorable Estrellita B. Suansing

AN ACT
REQUIRING THE OWNER OR OPERATOR OF A PUBLIC UTILITY VEHICLE TO
INSCRIBE ON THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE ITS ORIGINAL DATE OF
MANUFACTURE AND INITIAL USE

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

SECTION 1. The operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) shall inscribe on
the body of the PUVs the original date of manufacture and the date of the initial use
‘on the following locations:

(a) At the lower right side of the back and on both sides of the vehicle for
buses;

(b) At the upper portion of the rear windshield and on both sides of the vehicle
for taxis, vans and similar units; and

(c) On both sides of the vehicle for jeepneys.

The date of manufacture and initial use inscribed on PUVs shall be readable
at a distance of at least five meters.

SEC. 2. All owners or operators of PUVs shall comply with Section 1 of
this Act as a prerequisite for the registration of the vehicle at the Land Transportation
Office and issuance of franchise by the Land Transportation Franchising and
Regulatory Board.

In case of PUVs which are already registered and have secured the franchise
to operate, the requirement under Section 1 of this Act shall be complied with not
later than six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

SEC.3. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the
Secretary of the Department of Transportation shall promulgate the necessary rules
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.


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SEC. 4. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations and
issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC.5. This Act shall take effect upon its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,