Republic of the Philippines |
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE:
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

0377
House Bill No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Traffic is undeniably a long-standing problem in the
Philippines. Different factors such as narrow roads and highways,
overpopulation of motorists, inefficient traffic policies combined
with a significant number of undisciplined drivers, undermined
implementation of laws and regulations, and the ineffective
monitoring thereof all contribute to and aggravate the traffic
situation in the country and makes the everyday experience of
motorists, commuters and civilians alike very intolerable and hard.

And just when we thought the traffic situation in the
Philippines couldn’t get any worse, recently, we’ve been struck by
numerous warnings left and right, about the impending (so-called)


Traffic Armageddon - in which traffic jam is expected to triply
worsen because of the imminent simultaneous construction of big
infrastructure projects in Metro Manila

As this Traffic Armageddon is underway, various authorities
have been strategizing and devising different ways or mechanisms
to reduce or lessen the impact of the impending traffic jam. The
Malacanang even suggested “voluntary remedial measures” which
the citizens may adopt such as working from home and/or sharing
cars. Other authorities even went further as to propose expanded
number coding and four-day-work-weeks just to ease the hellish
traffic congestion expected to slow down Metro Manila. This is how
serious the gravity of this foreseen or anticipated traffic problem is.
It will worsen the already very terrible road situation in the said
region.

Clearly, the help of every institution, public or private alike is
needed so as to prevent unnecessarily causing a great disadvantage
and inconvenience to the general public. The solution that we see
as feasible and executable, no matter how simple it is must
therefore be applied at once to avoid, or at least lessen the projected
negative effect of the construction of various infrastructures to
traffic in Metro Manila.

It is from this standpoint that we are seeking the approval of
this simple bill which aims to reduce the use of vehicles and
thereby declog the roads of Metro Manila. This bills aims to give out
incentives to people who would initiate carpooling or simply car
sharing to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and lessen the
traffic jam. Encouraging private motorists to maximize the number
of passengers they accommodate in one private car instead of
having a one-car-per-person situation will ultimately reduce the
congestion on the road. Now, this simple proposal may seem to


have a negligible effect at first, but if we consider its collective effect,
then the general impact of this plan is guaranteed to contribute
substantially in solving the abovementioned problem.

An average of 2.4 million vehicles pass through EDSA every
day. Imagine if hundreds and thousands of motorists would
consider carpooling, such overwhelming statistics can be cut down
to an optimistic projection of only 500,000.00 to 1,000,000.00
vehicles per day.

The positive impact of carpooling does not end with the
conclusion of the infrastructure projects that are creating this so-
called Traffic Armageddon. The truth is, car-sharing can
permanently solve the seemingly perennial traffic congestion in our
country. Hence, we can safely say that main objective of this bill is
not merely temporary in nature but could have a long-lasting and
permanent effect.

It is for this reason that the approval of this bill is being
sought.

gud. OW,

ERIC L. OLIVAREZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. v307

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

AN ACT PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR PRIVATE CARPOOL IN
ORDER TO REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE COUNTRY

SECTION 1. Name. This Act shall be known as the “Carpool
Act of 2016”.

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms.

Carpool- an arrangement among four
(4) people or more including the driver of a
particular vehicle who would otherwise
drive their own vehicles, to make a regular
journey in a single vehicle instead.


SECTION 3. Incentives in Parking Fees. Any private vehicle
which carries at least four (4) passengers who are all licensed
drivers shall get free parking fees in any establishment run by or
under a contract with the government and any of its agencies or
instrumentalities including government owned and controlled
corporations and any private vehicle carrying passengers under the
carpool system as defined by this Act shall have corresponding 50%
discounts for parking fees in any establishment run by private
institution.

SECTION 4. Incentives in Toll Fees. Any private vehicle which
carries at least four (4) passengers who are all licensed drivers shall
get corresponding 20% discounts in toll fees in any expressway.

SECTION 5. Gasoline and other Petroleum Products Discounts.
Any private vehicle which is running under the carpool system as
defined in the preceding paragraphs shall likewise be entitled to
20% gasoline and other petroleum products discounts.

SECTION 6. Availment of Discounts. The free parking fees and
other discounts provided for under this Act shall be availed only
after upon presentment by each passenger of a private car of his or
her valid driver’s license. At least four (4) passengers of a private car
including the driver who shall be able to present a valid driver’s
license before said vehicle can be granted the discount provided for
in accordance with this Act.


SECTION 7. Exemption from the Color Coding Scheme. Any
private vehicle which carries at least four (4) passengers who are all
licensed drivers shall be exempted from the Color Coding Scheme
being implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority or by any local government unit (LGU);

SECTION 8. Unlawful Acts. It shall be unlawful for any
person who is not engaged in the business of or registered to
Operate any public utility to demand any kind of payment from his
or her passengers in direct circumvention of this Act. Any person
who will be found guilty under this Section shall be meted with a
fine of not less than P50,000.00 but not more than P100,000.00
and/or suffer an imprisonment of not less than two (2) years, at the
sound discretion of the court.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The
Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) in
coordination with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Toll
Regulatory Board together with the Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the
MMDA shall promulgate the 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 10. 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 11. 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 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect
after its complete publication in at least three (3) newspapers of
general circulation.

APPROVED.