Thursday, March 28, 2024

House passes on 2nd reading bill requiring CCTV, GPS in PUVs

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading this week House Bill 6112, which requires operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) and global positioning system (GPS) to deter crime and gather the necessary information to help prosecute criminals.

Photo credit: www.aperiodical.com
Photo credit: www.aperiodical.com

The coverage of the bill is vague though as it requires a minimum of two CCTV units for ?every type? of PUV, which can refer to buses, jeepneys, and tricycles.

The proposed law provides that no PUV can be allowed on the country’s roads without the required CCTV and GPS tracker that were duly installed and sealed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Replacement of damaged or stolen CCTV or GPS tracker must undergo the same process of installation, authentication and sealing, according to the legislation.

?The PUV shall be required to display a written notice boldly displayed in conspicuous locations outside and inside the body of the PUV to inform the passengers that the PUV is equipped with CCTV and GPS trackerm,? the bill states.

Operators of PUVs, which are already in operation prior to the effectivity of the law, must comply with the requirements upon renewal of registration or not later than six months from the promulgation of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), whichever comes earlier.

The LTFRB, in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Bureau of Product Standards, will provide for the specifications and standards of the required GPS tracker and CCTV, including the storage device which must be capable of recording at least 30 calendar days of information before being overridden by subsequent ones.

The LTFRB central office and its regional offices must also provide a GPS tracking server and an archive of all CCTV recordings of PUVs which are subject of complaints and involved in traffic accidents.

The measure requires the confidentiality of the videos and other information captured by the CCTV. Only upon written request or e-mail can a law enforcement agency be granted access to a particular GPS tracking record during an investigation or police operation.

Penalties will also be imposed on PUV operators who will tamper with the CCTV or GPS tracker, as well those who will fail to bring their PUVs for purposes of removing the storage device of the CCTV or copying its contents.

The franchise or driver?s license of the offender may also be revoked or cancelled if the content is shown or sold to the public without proper approval. Government authorities such as LTFRB personnel or policemen are likewise liable under various laws if they show or release the content or videos from the CCTVs or GPS to the public without due cause.

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