LTFRB vows stricter enforcement, driver’s academy to boost road safety

LTFRB vows stricter enforcement, driver’s academy to boost road safety | Daily Tribune

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III has vowed to continue implementing rules and regulations aimed at correcting driver behavior on the roads.

Guadiz said that their efforts directly support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to implement long-term solutions for reducing fatalities and ensuring commuter safety.

For this reason, the LTFRB, Guadiz said, is advancing the proposal for a Driver’s Academy as road crash numbers reach alarming levels.

According to Guadiz, the Driver’s Academy will institutionalize regular education for Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers. It is envisioned to deliver mandatory training on defensive driving, traffic rules, passenger safety, stress and fatigue management, and basic vehicle care.

To ensure accountability, it will also include behavioral assessments and digital attendance tracking.

“This is not just another seminar. We envision a national institution that will define what it means to be a responsible, professional driver in the Philippines. If we want to save lives, we need to invest in the people behind the wheel,” Guadiz said.

In recent months, there has been growing concern over the rising number of road accidents across the country, with many reports pointing to an alarming increase in both fatalities and injuries.

Transportation officials and safety experts attribute the surge in road crash incidents to widespread poor driving behavior, a lack of formal retraining and regulatory gaps.

Transportation analysts also flagged the absence of structured, continuous education for PUV drivers; many professional drivers operate without undergoing standardized training beyond their initial licensing.

There is currently no national requirement for refresher courses, behavioral monitoring, or updated traffic law briefings once a license is issued.

Engr. Danilo Reyes, a road safety specialist, said there is a “deeply rooted problem” in the way professional drivers are “prepared and regulated.”

“There’s no continuing education, no behavioral monitoring, and no refresher courses on updated traffic laws. This creates a culture of recklessness and impunity,” he said.

Public response to the initiative has been encouraging.

According to a recent survey by the Transport Reform Coalition, seven in 10 commuters believe PUV drivers should be required to undergo periodic training as a condition for renewing their franchise or operating permits.

Lawmakers have taken notice as well, with a bill reportedly in the works that would mandate Driver’s Academy certification for all PUV operators, a policy move aligned with President Marcos’ directive to reform the country’s public transport standards.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has stressed that the Department of Transportation (DoTr) is fully committed to implementing programs that comply with the President’s vision for a safer, more reliable, and commuter-focused transport system.

The Driver’s Academy, backed by both data and public support, is seen as a foundational step in raising road safety standards.

Reyes warned that failure to act swiftly would only lead to more avoidable tragedies.

“If we do nothing, we’ll lose more lives — not just in numbers, but in preventable, senseless tragedies,” he said.

With heavier traffic expected in the months ahead, especially in Metro Manila and other urban centers, the LTFRB’s Driver’s Academy stands as a crucial intervention in bringing the country closer to safer roads, one trained and accountable driver at a time.

The gravity of the situation is underscored by recent, unforgettable road crash incidents involving government officials.

On 28 May 2025, three people were killed when a truck crashed into two motorcycles, a car and an AUV along the Batasan-San Mateo Road in Quezon City. Police said the incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. as the truck lost control and rammed into several vehicles. The 38-year-old truck driver initially claimed his truck lost its brakes and control on his way to Rizal province.

However, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) acting director P/Col. Randy Glenn Silvio confirmed a week later that the truck driver involved in that tragic road incident tested positive for illegal drugs.

Silvio said on 30 May 2025, a complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injuries and multiple damage to property was filed against the suspect.

Furthermore, alias “Eruel” was subjected to an alcohol breath analyzer (ABA) test and a drug test, in accordance with Section 7 of Republic Act 10586, or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013. The ABA test conducted by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) yielded a negative result.

The drug test, according to Silvio, conducted by the QCPD Forensic Unit (QCPDFU), returned a positive result for methamphetamine hydrochloride (commonly known as “shabu”). Silvio said the suspect was charged for violation of RA 10586 before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Before that, on Labor Day, a passenger bus rammed into an SUV that was at a complete halt in Lane 2 (northbound) at the Tarlac SCTEX Exit Toll Plaza in Tarlac City, where five vehicles — including three SUVs, a container truck and a passenger bus — collided in a tragic chain reaction.

Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, the Central Luzon police chief, confirmed the casualty count, saying, “12 people died in the crash, including six children. Another 27 individuals were injured and taken to nearby hospitals.”

One of the latest and most controversial incidents involved Florida buses in a viral road racing incident on a national highway in Cagayan. The LTFRB preventively suspended the operations of the GV Florida Transport Inc. buses for 30 days due to that viral social media post for “employing reckless drivers.”

Guadiz said they immediately issued a show cause order to GV Florida Transport Inc. to justify in writing why its Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) should not be suspended, canceled, or revoked for employing reckless drivers. Failure on the part of the bus company to file an answer before the scheduled hearing on 25 June 2025, and to attend the hearing will be considered a waiver to be heard.

Within the 30-day preventive suspension, the drivers must undergo a Road Safety Seminar and compulsory drug testing. The company’s bus units should also pass the roadworthiness inspection to be conducted by the Land Transportation Office or an authorized vehicle inspection center.

According to Guadiz, Florida was directed to surrender the “For Hire Plates” of the units involved upon receipt of the preventive suspension order. If found operating as a public utility vehicle, the buses will be apprehended and impounded by the LTO Enforcement Division, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group and other traffic enforcement agencies.

Meantime, Dizon warned drivers and bus operators that they will face consequences for their behavior on the roads. He encouraged netizens “to tag DoTr” once they catch rowdy drivers, assuring that the agency, along with LTO and LTFRB, will take action against whoever is involved in incidents caught on video.

“Just tag DoTr, LTO and LTFRB, and you can be assured that we will take immediate action,” Dizon said, citing the latest incident of three Florida buses caught racing on a narrow highway in Cagayan on the night of 8 June, an incident witnessed and uploaded to social media by a netizen.

“They disregard this (our warning). They do it repeatedly, if they kill someone, they’ll go to jail,” Dizon warned, as he cited what could happen to the owners of the Florida Bus Line.

“Immediate preventive suspension. Calculate how much the bus operator lost, 15 units,” he explained, referring to the grounding of 15 bus units of GV Florida Transport Inc.

“Our countrymen (operators and drivers) think, unfortunately, there are no consequences, no penalty. Drivers think it’s just like that. You drivers who were racing in Cagayan, you won’t have your licenses anymore. 90 days immediate preventive suspension. And most likely, you’ll never have a license again. You won’t be able to drive anymore. If you (drivers) still don’t learn. I don’t know what else to say,” the Transportation secretary said.