Friday, March 29, 2024

Poe hits delay in implementation of speed limiter law

Sen. Grace Poe lamented on Tuesday, March 14, the delays in the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 10916 or the law mandating the fitting of speed limiter for public utility vehicles (PUVs).

Sen. Grace Poe (2nd from left), chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, listen to Sen. Tito Sotto (left) during an inquiry into the accident that claimed the lives of 15 students from Bestlink College of the Philippines last February 20, 2017
Sen. Grace Poe (2nd from left), chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, listen to Sen. Tito Sotto (left) during an inquiry into the accident that claimed the lives of 15 students from Bestlink College of the Philippines last February 20, 2017

Poe lamented that the framework for effectively implementing RA 10916, which would have been expected to reduce road-related accidents, was still not being realized eight months after the law was passed.

“Hahayaan na lang ba nating malagas ang buhay ng mga inosenteng pasahero ng mga binansagang ?killer buses??” Hindi dapat nangingibabaw ang kapabayaan sa mga pampublikong sasakyan ng mga operator at mga ahensyang may hawak sa regulasyon ng mga transportasyong-lupa,” said Poe.

Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, has spearheaded a legislative inquiry into the tragic bus accident in Tanay, Rizal last month that claimed the lives of 15 people, mostly college students who were on their way to a medical and survival training.

“I think [the immediate issuance of the IRR] is crucial. If we have this in place at least we can make sure that there are less careless drivers on the road,” said Poe, who pressed the Department of Transportation to finally release the law’s IRR.

Asked by Poe on the status of the IRR months after the passage of RA 10916 in July last year, DOTr undersecretary Anne Lontoc said it is currently being drafted by a technical working group composed of the DOTr, the Department of Public Works (DPWH), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and they target its issuance next month.

The delay in the IRR’s issuance, Lontoc said, is being caused by the setting of standards on speed limits and specifications of the speed limiter to be installed on covered vehicles.

Under Section 8 of the law, the DOTr, in coordination with the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, DTI, and the Department of Science and Technology, in consultation with private stakeholders, is tasked to formulate and promulgate the necessary IRR within 60 days from the law’s effectivity.

The law covers all PUVs (excluding taxi, jeepneys and ride-sharing cars), closed commercial vans, cargo haulers, tanker trucks and company shuttles.

Equally lamentable, Poe said, is the fact that the law has been reduced to a mere paper tiger as it prescribes strict mechanisms on the use of speed limiters and imposes penalties on offenses but none has been charged despite clear violations of vehicles involved in road crashes.

Poe reminded, however, that the Speed Limiter Law was passed in the wake of a string of deadly bus accidents from 2013-2015, which killed some 40 people.

“Road safety has been regarded as a public health issue due to numerous accidents that claim innocent lives and injure many people. Deaths and injuries and damage to property could have been prevented if institutional stakeholders had already issued the IRR that would ensure the safety of the public on roads,” Poe added.

Those who violate the Speed Limiter Act, which covers PUVs (except for taxi, jeepneys and ride-hailing services), would be prohibited to register or receive a franchise permit and the owners or operators will face a P50,000 fine.

The license of a driver using a PUV without a speed limiter will be suspended or even revoked. A succeeding offense could lead to a one-year suspension and an imposed fine for the third offense. Those who tamper speed limiters face a jail term of six to 36 months and a P30,000 fine.

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