Raffy Tulfo bats for tighter measures to curb road tragedies

(Photo from the PHILIPPINE RED CROSS)

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo is pushing for the tighter implementation of road safety rules and regulations in the wake of recent fatal road accidents.

Tulfo, who heads the Senate panel on public services, made the push following the fatal incidents at the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) Toll Plaza and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1.

In a statement, Tulfo recalled how he constantly emphasizes the importance of regular inspection to ensure that public utility vehicles are well-maintained, along with the implementation of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Memorandum Circular No. 2017-012, which states that public bus drivers should not be on duty beyond legally mandated hours.

“In the case of the bus driver who fell asleep while driving along SCTEX, there’s a need to investigate if he was overworked or driving past his six-hour duty. When I inspected terminals, I called out some bus operators for making their drivers work beyond the allowed hours,” Tulfo said in Filipino.

Given this, he said there would be a need to review whether all public utility bus operators adhere to Labor Standards Compliance Certificates, including proper training for their drivers.

“Similarly, the LTO should be stricter in screening drivers before they are granted licenses. They need to ensure that drivers are equipped and mentally fit before they drive, so the incident at NAIA Terminal does not happen again, where the SUV driver panicked,” he said.

On May 4, an SUV hit several people at the departure entrance of the NAIA Terminal 1, leaving two dead and four injured.

Ten people died and some 30 others were injured in the SCTEx pile-up on May 1.