Safety check on all bus firms ordered

President Aquino has expressed concern over the roadworthiness of public utility vehicles after a bus of Don Mariano Transit Corp. fell off the southbound lane of Skyway in Parañaque City on Monday.

Eighteen people were killed and 16 others were injured in the accident.

A Palace spokesperson said Aquino had ordered the inspection of buses and other transport vehicles to check compliance with minimum health and safety standards.

“The Aquino administration has always prioritized the safety of the riding public. The objective is to prevent irresponsible operators and reckless drivers from obtaining government permission to operate unsafe vehicles that place the lives of the riding public at risk,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.

Hence, Coloma said, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had suspended for 30 days the operations of the entire fleet of Don Mariano Transit Corp.

He said the President had ordered the Department of Labor and Employment to “closely monitor compliance by bus operators of occupational health and safety standards as outlined in Department Order No. 118-12 titled, ‘Rules and Regulations Governing the Employment and Working Conditions of Drivers and Conductors in the Public Utility Bus Transport Industry.’”

Coloma said this was a “mandatory requirement” before public transport operators could apply or renew their franchise with the LTFRB.

Coloma added that part of the policies for regulating public service was a need to ensure that these passenger vehicles were “roadworthy.”

He said this aspect would be covered by the LTFRB inquiry during the 30-day suspension of Don Mariano Transit.

Driver fell asleep

The driver of the ill-fated bus may have fallen asleep while the vehicle was traveling along the elevated highway, the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (HPG) said Tuesday.

But Supt. Elizabeth Velasquez, HPG spokesperson, said it was still premature to conclude how Carmelo Calatcat, the driver of Don Mariano Transit bus, lost control of the wheel.

“There are several possibilities. The driver may have fallen asleep. We received that information,” Velasquez told the Inquirer.

Charges filed

“But the case has already been filed in the government prosecutor’s office. Let them determine what really happened,” she added.

Velasquez said the HPG had filed in the Parañaque prosecutor’s office on Tuesday a case of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple serious physical injuries and damage to properties against Calatcat and the owner of the bus.

Melissa Lim

HPG investigators, however, did not identify the bus owner in the criminal complaint signed by the relatives of the six of the 18 fatalities in the accident.

The president and chair of Don Mariano Transit Corp. is Melissa Lim, according to incorporation papers at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“The driver may have been asleep when the incident happened so this (accident) could be a human error. It could also be a mechanical defect,” Velasquez said.

“He may have been able to step on the brakes. But if the tires of the bus are already worn out, it would be still difficult for him to control the wheel,” she said.

“These are just speculations. We will determine what really happened upon the completion of the process of investigation.”

She said HPG probers had yet to obtain Calatcat’s statement as he was still in critical condition at Parañaque Doctors’ Hospital.

Tighter LTO guidelines

In the wake of the deadly bus accident, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is speeding up the release of tighter guidelines covering the inspection of public transport vehicles and training of their drivers.

LTO spokesman Jason Salvador said the agency would soon implement either quarterly or twice a year inspections for public transportation vehicles. In addition, the LTO is considering the same frequency for “refresher” seminars for drivers of these vehicles.

The current rules require vehicles to be inspected annually.

Salvador said the LTO would also require more regular training seminars to “remind” drivers of the rules while teaching them driving techniques.

He said the new rules could be ready as early as next week for implementation next year.

LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez said the board would set a hearing early next year for the final ruling against Don Mariano Transit Corp., which has a checkered safety record. The LTFRB has the power to revoke the bus operator’s license.

“We have been already contemplating these rules even before [the Don Mariano accident],” Salvador said.

He noted that the inspection of the roadworthiness of Don Mariano Transit Corps.’s entire fleet of 78 buses was ongoing.

Jica road map

On Aquino’s visit to Japan last week, among the issues the President discussed with his hosts was the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (Jica) road map for public transportation to ease the traffic congestion in Metro Manila, according to Coloma.

He said Jica had long been a partner of the Philippines in helping the country improve the public transportation system.

It was the National Economic and Development Authority that requested Jica’s technical assistance for the crafting of the road map, which is expected to guide the development of policies, prioritization and design of programs and projects on transport infrastructure.

The study will also harmonize all efforts of concerned government agencies on transport projects in Metro Manila, Regions 3 and 4A.

Daily transport cost

According a briefer provided by Malacañang, Jica’s findings show that daily transport costs in Metro Manila are expected to increase by 150 percent (from P2.4 billion in 2012 to P6 billion in 2030) if government does not act to reduce transport costs.

Transport costs include foregone productivity from commuters late for work or their appointments.

Jica findings also show that roads in Metro Manila remain congested far longer compared with the traditional assumption of rush-hour traffic.

To help address these concerns, the road map prioritizes transport programs and projects in the identified areas that can be implemented, completed, and/or operated within the remainder of the Aquino administration.

The short-term investment program for 2014-2016 is estimated at P520 billion.

Addressing road accidents entailed the convergence of law enforcement, engineering (road design) and education, “which is to heighten public awareness on the need for road safety,” said Coloma.

Speed-limit device

The Palace also favors passing a law requiring bus companies to install speed-limit devices on their units, such as a tachograph or tachometer, “which is like the black box of an airplane that can be used for monitoring and as a (speed) control device,” Coloma said.

“So, perhaps, we’ll let our lawmakers study whether this (requirement) will be beneficial (to commuters),” he said, although stressing that it would be better for Congress to pass a law “so that the improvements will be permanent.”