Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No,_3960

Introduced by Representatives Michael M. Velarde and William Irwin Tieng
(BUHAY Party List)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The infamous Luneta Bus Hostage-Taking, last August of 2010, severely tarnished our
country’s image not only with respect to tourism, but also our capability of ensuring
safety in our public transportation. The Cotabato Bus Bombing during October of last
year, which killed ten people and wounded thirty, is yet another proof of our inability
to safeguard the riding public. In the news, we are wary, and hopefully fed up, of bus
accidents, that kill hundreds, resulting from either faulty motor parts or, simply, from
the negligence of both driver and operator.

It is for these reasons, and many other bus-related tragedies, that the urgent need to
zero-in on the safety of our public utility buses arises. Without a doubt, these buses.play
a crucial role in our public land transportation system.

In this light, it is believed that the deployment of bus marshals will promote the safety
of public utility buses. With a marshal on board each public bus, petty crooks thinking
twice, terror plots derailed, and reckless drivers disciplined, are just a few of the
consequences surely welcomed by the riding public.

We cannot afford to sit back, relax, and watch our public utility bus system crumble.
For indeed, a safe public utility bus system is an element of an organized and
progressive modern society.

Hence, the approval of this bill is earnestly requested.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 3960

Introduced by Representatives Michael M. Velarde and William Irwin Tieng
(BUHAY Party List)

AN ACT DEPLOYING POLICE PERSONNEL TO ACT AS MARSHALS IN ALL
PUBLIC UTILITY BUSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Police Bus Marshals
Acteof 2011."

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to promote
safety and discipline in the public utility bus sector for the benefit of not only the riding
public but of all road users as well.

SEC. 3. Deployment of Police Officers as Bus Marshals. ~ Philippine National
Police (PNP) personnel shall be assigned to all operating buses throughout the country.
This assignment shall ensure that a marshal oversees a public utility bus for the
duration of its entire operation.

SEC. 4, Deputy Civilian Marshals. - The PNP shall be authorized to deputize
and train qualified civilians to act as bus marshals and reinforce the police personnel
assigned to marshal the public utility buses.

SEC. 5. Plain Clothing While On Duty. - In order to induce an atmosphere of
normalcy, bus marshals shall wear plain clothing while on duty. Such clothing,
however, shall distinguish them from the riding public.

SEC. 6. - Duties and Responsibilities. - The Police Bus Marshal shall be tasked to
maintain peace and order inside the public utility bus during its operation and shall
also ensure that such bus follows traffic rules and regulations strictly.

SEC. 7. Inventory of Public Utility Buses. - The Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), in coordination with the Land
Transportation Office (LTO), shall submit to the PNP an inventory of the public utility
buses operating throughout the country. Said inventory shall contain an indication of
the owner of the franchise involved, the bus routes plied, and the Local Government
Unit having jurisdiction of the respective routes, among others.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG), in collaboration with the PNP, shall formulate the necessary

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guidelines and promulgate rules and regulations implementing the provisions of this
Act.

SEC. 9. Appropriation. - Such sums as may be necessary for the immediate
infplementation of the provisions of this Act are hereby authorized to be appropriated
out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, funds
for its implementation shall be included in the regular appropriations of the DILG and
the PNP.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, other provisions not affected shall continue to be in full force and

effect.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect 15 days after its complete
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation,

Approved,

(BUHAY Party List)