‘Training and taking care of rail workers’ are important – Bautista

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista delivers a keynote address during the 2nd Philippine Railway Conference on Thursday, November 7. (Photo from JOWN MANALO / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday expressed its goal of continually training all workers in the the rail sector and provide them protection.

According to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, “training and taking care” of the rail workers is crucial in ensuring that railway passengers will enjoy comfortable and efficient rides.

“We will soon come up with an occupational safety and health (OSH) policy for the railway sector,” Bautista said in a speech on Thursday.

“This policy will mandate the protection and benefits of rail workers, to incentivize them to do their best at all times, and ensure the safety and security of every passenger,” he explained.

He also reported the Philippine Railway Institute (PRI) has already trained more than 3,300 out of 3,700 rail workers.

Engineer Israel Radiaganding of the PRI said they are in close coordination with railway operators for the development of the OSH standards.

The operators include the Light Rail Manila Corporation, the Light Rail Transit Authority, the Metro Rail Transit 3 and 7, and the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

The Occupational Health and Safety Center and the DOTR Rail Unified Project Management Office are also part of the team.

“Our sector has a complex system of operations and maintenance. Hence, it requires stringent safety measures to protect our personnel and also the passengers,” Radiaganding said during his talk on Thursday.

According to the PRI official, the OSH guidelines aim to strengthen the implementation of health, safety, environmental and accident prevention measures for railway personnel.

“These will apply to all existing railway operators and future railway operators, subcontractors or third-party service providers, and any individual engaged in the railway operations and maintenance,” he noted.

Mandatory training courses and supplemental training specific to the railway sector will also be given.

The Marcos administration has prioritized several major railway projects.

READ: DOTr eyes P180-B budget for 2025 for big projects

These undertakings include the Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway System, Mindanao Railway Project, and PNR South Long Haul Project.

DOTr is seeking a budget of P180.8 billion for 2025 to fund the big-ticket infrastructure such as railways and airports.

These initiatives are meant to enhance the mobility and connectivity of Filipinos across the country.

The proposed budget is 144 percent higher than the department’s 2024 budget.