FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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SEN 
S. B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the objective of the state to promote public safety in the transportation of passengers, 
particularly school children. To achieve this objective, it is essential that the state shall prescribe 
minimum design standards of school buses for the safety of the student passengers. 
This bill seeks to prescribe regulations to mitigate the effects of vehicular accidents by 
prescribing safety standards for school buses.* 
*This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PRESCRDING SCHOOL BUS SAFETY STANDARDS 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act may be cited as the “School Bus Sarety Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby the policy of the State to promote 
safety in order to protect passengers of school buses from injury in case of accidents. 
SECTION 3. Definitions of Terms. -For purposes ofthis Act the term: 
(A) “Bus” means a motor vehicle with motive power, except a trailer, designed fro 
carrying more than ten (10) persons; 
(B) “School Bus” means a bus that is used for purposes that include carrying students to 
and from public or private school or school-related events on a regular basis, but 
does not include a transit bus or a school-chartered bus; 
(C) “School-Chartered Bus” means a bus that is operated under a short-term contract 
with the school authorities who have acquired exclusive use of the bus at a fixed 
charge in order to provide transportation for a group of pupils to a special school- 
related event; 
(D) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Transportation and Communication; 
(E) “Seat Belts” refer to the combined lap belt and shoulder strap that fasten a rider to a 
moving vehicle and prevent him from being thrown out or against the interior of the 
vehicle during sudden stops; 
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SECTION 4. Proficiency Standards for School Bus Drivers. - 
(A) Requirement. -Not later than one (1) year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall prescribe proficiency standards for school bus drivers who are required to possess 
a professional license to operate a school bus. 
(B) Demonstration of Proficiency. - Upon the prescription of standards under paragraph 
(A), each school bus driver referred to in paragraph (A) shall demonstrate at such interval as the 
Secretary shall prescribe lo the employer of the driver, the school, the licensing agency, or other 
person or agency responsible for regulating school bus drivers the proficiency of such drivers in 
operating a school bus in accordance with the proficiency standards prescribed under paragraph 
(A) or the proficiency standards established by the State concerned, as the case may be. 
SECTION 5. Seat Belts in School Buses. - 
(A) Requirement for Installation. - Not later than one (1) year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations requiring driver seat belts and 
passenger seat belts (including lap safety belts or other child safety devices meeting applicable 
government safety standards) for each sealing position in any newly manufactured school bus. 
Owners of school buses which are not cnrrently equipped with seat belts shall be given a period 
of six (6) months from the publication of the regulations by the Secretary to install the necessary 
seat belts in their school buses. 
(B) Promotion of Seat Belt Usage. - 
(1) In General. - The Secretary, in consultation with appropriate safety 
organizations and parent-teacher organizations, shall conduct a program to 
promote and encourage the use of seat belts in school buses. 
(2) Elements of Program. - In conducting the program required under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall - 
(a) Encourage the local governments to monitor the mandatory 
usage of seat belts in school buses; 
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(b) Develop and disseminate educational materials on the 
importance of using seat belts to passengers and drivers of 
school buses; and 
(c) Recognize in an appropriate manner school that achieve a high 
level of seat belt usage by passengers and drivers of school bus. 
SECTION 6. Determination of Practicability and Feasibility of Certain Safety and 
Access Requirements for School Buses. - 
(A) Commencement of Rulemaking Process. - Immediately upon the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall begin a nileinaking process to determine the feasibility and practicability 
of a requirement for a decrease in the flammability of the material used in the construction of the 
interiors of school buses. 
(B) Final Rule. - Not later than one (1) year after such date, the Secretary shall 
promulgate a final nile providing for any requirement or standard that the Secretary detennines 
to be feasible and practicable. 
SECTION 7. Registration, -No school bus shall be allowed to acquire, maintain and 
renew registration unless it is equipped with the necessary seat belts. 
SECTION 8. Implementing Authority. - The Secretary shall be primarily responsible for 
the enforcement of the provisions of this Act. 
The Secretary may provide for a reasonable period for public notice and comment 
consistent with ensuring expeditious but full implementation of the prescribed safety requirement 
of this Act. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provisions or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. -This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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