Palace to study bill seeking fixed salaries for drivers

Monday, May 16, 2011

MALACANANG on Monday expressed willingness to study a bill that seeks to give bus drivers fixed salaries and schedules to prevent future accidents.

"Any measure that we can use to make sure the safety of the riding public is guaranteed would be good for us," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing.

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Lacierda said Malacanang expects stricter road safety policies following the death of veteran journalist and university professor Lourdes "Chit" Estella Simbulan.

Simbulan was killed last Friday after a Universal Guiding Star bus along the so-called "killer highway" -- Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City -- plowed into the taxi she was riding.

Days before the accident, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teodoro Casino filed House Bill 3370, seeking for fixed monthly salaries and eight hour work shifts for bus drivers and conductors.

While Malacanang vowed to look into the bill, Lacierda said the Palace was unable to commit support for the bill, noting that the concerns of various stakeholders must be considered.

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday released a photo of Daniel Espinosa, the driver of the bus that killed Simbulan.

The MMDA also earlier offered P100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the 39-year-old driver.

Lacierda said the President is "tired of hearing" bus accidents and it has been one of his major concerns since he assumed office.

"He (Aquino) wants the bus company to be properly supervised and monitored. Maintenance concerns should be the top agenda of these bus companies and the President is dismayed when he hears news about bus accidents," the Palace official said.

He, however, admitted that there are lenient laws on vehicular accident in the country.

"When you die in vehicular accident, the case is just reckless imprudence which is bailable. Even the insurance, only P50,000 are offered to the victim. So this should be really be studied," he said.

Meanwhile, Lacierda refused to recognize that the implementation of the MMDA speed limit along Commonwealth Avenue is ineffective following Simbulan's death.

He noted that it was the only major accident along the "Killer Highway" since the speed limit was executed since January.

"I think it is effective, it is just unfortunate that this accident happened," he said.

Lacierda said the Palace is expecting the MMDA and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to review traffic measures along Commonwealth Avenue and make sure that no similar event will happen in the future. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)