Now that they are covered by the fixed-wage scheme, it is high time that bus drivers submit themselves to an assessment and certification process to be conducted by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) officials to ensure the safety of all commuters.
“The certification [from Tesda] will ensure that public buses plying the roads are being manned by responsible and skilled drivers. Being a certified driver will also serve as guarantee to the bus operators that they maintain a pool of qualified drivers,” Tesda chief Joel Villanueva said in an
e-mailed statement.
Starting this month, the Department of Labor and Employment began implementing the “two-tier system” which set fixed wages for bus drivers and conductors in Metro Manila.
As a result, they no longer need to meet the “boundary,” a fixed amount they pay to owners of the vehicles they drive, before they can get their earnings.
The boundary system has been blamed for the numerous accidents and traffic violations being committed by bus drivers in their desire to get as many passengers as possible.
“With the Tesda certification, appropriate skills and adequate pay, we believe that there will be [fewer], if not zero accidents, on the road,” Villanueva said.
He added that all offices of the agency nationwide would reserve slots for bus drivers who want to avail themselves of the free assessment from July 9 to 20 through the National TVET (Technical Vocational Education Training) Competency Assessment and Certification.
Tesda will also conduct another round of assessments on Aug. 20 to 31 and Oct. 15 to 26.
Since it started the assessment and certification process for bus drivers early last year, the agency has certified a total of 3,540 drivers out of the 4,232 applicants, Villanueva said.