Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief, assistant secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza II, has ordered all regional directors and district office heads to intensify the conduct of inspections of passenger utility buses in their respective terminals, amid the influx of passengers for the Christmas season.
The order is in line with the instruction of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to ensure the safety of commuters, travelers, and all road users in anticipation of an increase in the volume of vehicles for the Yuletide season.
Mendoza said that inspection is necessary to prevent fatal road accidents similar to what happened in Antique earlier this month, where several passengers died when the bus plunged into a ravine.
“I am expecting a regular conduct of inspection on all passenger buses leaving their respective bus terminals. We have to do this because what is at stake is the life and limb of the passengers, who just want to reach their destination safely,” Mendoza said in a statement.
Aside from bus inspection, Mendoza also directed all RDs and DO heads to ensure the mental and physical condition of the drivers amid cases in the past where accidents were caused by drivers falling asleep, especially during a long trip.
Part of this measure is the conduct of surprise and mandatory drug tests.
Since Day One of his assumption as chief, Mendoza led by example in the government’s road safety campaign by initiating bus terminal inspections, the LTO said.
He directed all LTO officials to do the same on a regular basis, and not only during long weekends and breaks when an exodus of people is expected.
Mendoza said that since Christmas break is already being implemented in some schools, they expect more passengers to troop to bus terminals since Dec. 15.
Mendoza earlier ordered all RDs and DO heads to start the preparations for road safety and assistance in time for the Christmas break.
The LTO also said it will no longer issue a paper-printed driver license as it was able to secure around four million plastic cards that is more than enough to wipe out the backlog on driver’s license as well as the current daily usage through new application and renewal.
This development came as the Office of the Solicitor General has elevated to the Court of Appeals the injunction order issued by a Quezon City court in connection with the delivery of the remaining 3.3 million plastic cards that were procured early this year.
“The delivery of these four million plastic cards is enough to address both the backlog and the daily usage through application and renewal of driver’s license,” said Mendoza. “So we would like to announce to our clients, to the Filipino people na wala ng lisensyang papel! Balik-plastic na lisensya na tayo!”
If the Court of Appeals would rule in favor of the OSG petition, Mendoza said this would mean additional 3.3 million plastic cards, on top of the four million plastic cards that are expected to be delivered starting next month.
On license plates, around one million metal plates are currently produced every month and right now, Mendoza said the backlog on four-wheel vehicles were already wiped out. ||
