Ejercito eyes stiffer penalties for PUV overloading

MANILA, Philippines —  Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito on Thursday said that he wants to impose stiffer penalties for overloading public utility vehicles.

 

In a statement on Thursday, Ejercito said that the current law penalizes overloading with a fine of P2,000 up to P3,000 and suspension of the Certificate of Public Convenience, which is issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and regulatory Board.

 

The senator, vice chair person of the Senate public services committee, said that major steps must be taken to revamp regulations on land transportation.

 

"Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code is an outdated law which needs to be reviewed," Ejercito said, noting that the law, enacted in June 1964, does not penalize operators if passengers are hurt or are killed.

 

Ejercito released the statement in response to a bus crash in Nueva Ecija on Tuesday, where at least 32 died. The overloaded bus reportedly lost its brakes while going up a sloping curve and fell down a ravine,

 

READ: At least 32 dead in Nueva Ecija bus crash

 

A law requiring speed limiters on PUVs and commercial vehicles was passed in 2016 and Ejercito said it it is high time to amend the Land Transportation and Traffic Code "with respect to the violation of the prescribed maximum capacity of public utility vehicles."

 

He added that the Senate will take steps to ensure that accidents like in Nueva Ecija will not happen again.

 

As of this post, Ejercito has not filed any bills proposing amendments to the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.