Supreme Court recalls order on fixed pay scheme for bus drivers

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) recalled yesterday its order stopping the implementation of fixed salary scheme for bus drivers and conductors.

SC justices held a special session and voted unanimously to withdraw the status quo ante order issued last Tuesday enjoining the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) from implementing the new wage scheme and allowing the bus companies to go back to their previous salary schemes pending resolution of the case.

This means DOLE and LTFRB are again allowed to implement the fixed salary scheme for bus drivers and conductors.

SC spokesperson Ma. Victoria Gleores­ty Guerra explained that the magistrates decided to correct their decision to issue the SQA order and opted to first consider comments from DOLE and LTFRB before ruling on whether to issue the halt order.

“The justices just wanted to have further review and discussion on the case,” she said.

“I’d like to think that the court wants to make sure that its actions are based on both sides and I don’t think you can fault the court for that,” she explained.

The SC spokesperson disclosed it was acting chief justice Antonio Carpio who called for the special session.

The justices agreed to give respondents 10 days to file comment on the prayer of petitioners to issue the halt order.

The DOLE is set to resume today the implementation of the fixed wage system for bus drivers in Metro Manila with the lifting of the prohibition from the SC.

“With the deferment of the SQA, we will continue our inspections of all the 158 bus companies to ensure compliance with the labor standards as well as the new fixed wage system,” said DOLE-National Capital Region director Alan Macaraya.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, however, said there are already a number of companies complying with the new policy even prior to the issuance of the SC order.

Stick to yellow bus lanes

Meanwhile, bus operators yesterday failed to convince Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino to relax a bit the agency’s strict implementation of the yellow bus lanes on EDSA.

Tolentino had earlier issued an order barring buses and trucks from using the highway’s flyovers, tunnels and underpasses. Bus drivers were ordered to stick to the two yellow bus lanes. The order was issued amid the string of accidents involving buses along EDSA.

The bus operators and MMDA officials met yesterday to thresh out issues in the implementation of the directive.

Metro bus operators complained to Tolentino that the bus lanes have become crowded with their air-conditioned units fighting for space with “ordinary” and provincial bus units.

Tolentino, however, said the MMDA is just implementing an MMDA order that became effective in 1989 which requires Metro and provincial buses to use the yellow lanes along EDSA.

He stressed that the implementation of the yellow lane policy on EDSA will remain.– With Mayen Jaymalin, Mike Frialde