MMDA to deploy 1st batch of female bus drivers in March

The first batch of female bus drivers will start driving public utility buses in Metro Manila in the first week of March, following their graduation this week. But Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino admitted Monday that the batch, numbering 31, may be overqualified and underpaid as they will not get minimum salary. "Siguro sa first week of March makikita nating tumatakbo sila. Ang alam ko mga 31, di ko alam sino nag-qualify, pero magagaling itong kababaihang ito. They are holders of foreign driver’s licenses in Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi," Tolentino said in an interview on dzRH radio. (In the first week of March we can expect the first batch of female bus drivers to ply their routes. As far as I know there are 31 of them. They are very qualified, and hold foreign drivers’ licenses in Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi.) He said some of these drivers are registered nurses, while others are electrical engineers. Tolentino said the drivers are to graduate from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority either Wednesday or Thursday, before they are deployed next week. Earlier, the MMDA started training female bus drivers to ply Metro Manila routes, citing the discipline and non-aggressive attitude of female drivers. But Tolentino also admitted the first batch of female drivers may be underpaid, as they will be subjected to the salary scheme of the bus company they will be assigned to. Earlier, he had cited reports indicating the low pay – based on how many passengers a driver can get – had prompted dangerous driving practices that resulted in accidents. Tolentino admitted that while the MMDA considered giving the female drivers a minimum monthly salary, the male drivers may protest such “discrimination." "Sana bigyan ng bus companies ng monthly, pero baka sumigaw ng discrimination. Hinahayaan na muna natin private bus companies na umiral ang internal policies nila," he said. (We had wanted to ask the bus companies to give the female bus drivers a monthly salary but the male drivers may protest and cry discrimination. So we may have to let the bus companies’ present pay policy cover the female bus drivers for now.) — RSJ, GMA News