Saturday, July 12, 2008 RDC wants probe body for transpo accidents
THE Regional Development Council (RDC) in Central Visayas has approved a resolution for the creation of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will serve as an “independent” investigating agency on major accidents involving aviation, maritime and other mode of transportation.
The proposal came a few weeks after mv Princess of the Stars sank off Sibuyan Island last month.
Approved
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia moved for the passage of the resolution, which was approved in mass motion by the council during its quarter meeting at the Capitol social hall yesterday.
The RDC 7 Development Administrative Committee has asked local lawmakers to sponsor a law for the creation of the safety board last June 5.
Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district) informed the council that President Arroyo recently also signed into law a House Bill seeking to regulate air transportation.
Unlike primary functions of government agencies on transportation mishaps, the proposed safety board will not be vested with regulatory, enforcement powers “to ensure its independence and impartiality.”
Solution
Likewise, the creation of the NTSB is said to address loopholes in the legal framework of promoting transport safety in the country.
“The NTSB shall be an independent agency with the sole function of investigating major accidents involving aviation, maritime and other modes of transportation,” part of the resolution reads.
The safety board will comply with the international safety standards for air, road and maritime transportation as identified in the medium-term development plan of the country, particularly its transport sector.
Also, the focus of the safety board investigation, if there’s any, will be for the improvement of transportation safety in the country sans regulatory or enforcement powers. (GMD)
