Metro bus drivers not keen on fixed salary

MANILA, Philippines - Bus drivers in Metro Manila are not too keen on a fixed-salary system proposed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to avoid further accidents. Integrated Metro Bus Operation Association (Imboa) head Claire dela Fuente said Metro Manila bus drivers are more comfortable with a setup where they "pick and drop" more passengers. "Sa Metro medyo mahirapan nang kaunti kasi sa Metro medyo talagang pick and drop ang tao. Sa probinsya set na sila, doon sa garahe napupuno na sila. Walang use na sila ay hindi gawing salary (In Metro Manila, you pick up and drop passengers at several points in your route and earn commissions from them. In the provinces, you usually go point to point in the entire route without having to pick up or drop off passengers in between, so provincial bus drivers may be more amenable to a fixed salary)," dela Fuente said in an interview on dzXL radio. LTFRB chairman Thompson Lantion earlier proposed the system in the wake of a tragedy last All Saints Day that killed at least five people and injured several others. In the incident last Saturday, a speeding Fermina Express bus slammed into a Toyota Revo along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Pampanga province. Last Oct. 21, a fiery predawn mishap occurred when a Joanna Jesh bus slammed into the rear of a Mercedes Benz sedan and killed doctor Francisco Sarabia. On the other hand, dela Fuente said the government must put more responsibility on erring drivers and stop their mentality of passing on their liabilities on their employers. "Kailangan magkaroon ng mahigpit na parusa sa driver. Kadalasan minsan hindi masyadong iniintindi ng mga driver kasi sasabihin nila tutubusin sila ng amo nila. Yan ang nangyayari riyan (There should be stiffer penalties on drivers. In most cases they think they can get away with it because they expect their employers to bail them out)," she said. For his part, Lantion said it is up to bus operators to discuss the issue. "Idudulog yan at paguusapan muli sa mga hanay (We'll bring it up with them and let them discuss it)," he said. - GMANews.TV