Aquino wants accident-free Holy Week

What is President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s pet peeve this Holy Week? Bus accidents. "I’m really very peeved every time I see all of these accidents of buses, parang constant ever since I assumed this office. Brakes fail…such a stupid excuse," the President said during Tuesday's security cluster briefing on the government’s plans for the Holy Week. Aquino asked for an assurance from the Department of Transportation and Communications that there will be no more accidents that will happen this year. A total of 994 accidents were reported from Holy Monday to Easter Sunday last year. Seven of these were fatal while 221 were non-fatal, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) head Francis Tolentino said during the briefing. Lucas Cauton Jr. of the DOTC Office of the Transportation Security said buses are subjected to inspection every year when their operators renew their certificate of public conveyance. "When you say you’ve inspected these buses, check the drivers. I can expect [that] after Holy Week, I won’t have all of these reports of failures of brakes, buses falling down ravines, drivers etc etc. All the old and usual stuff will not happen," Aquino told Cuaton. "Yes, sir," Cauton replied. To which the President retorted: "And if it does happen?" Cauton then answered that sometimes, the major cause of accidents was the drivers. Not satisfied But Aquino seemed not satisfied with the answer. "In this particular period, you have an increased density of traffic everywhere. This is the bonanza period for all these transport companies. They’ll be on that pressure to have more trips done by their drivers, therefore more fatigue," he said. "Therefore, it is even more essential in this period for more thoroughness and strictness as far as monitoring both the road worthiness of the vehicle but more importantly the drivers," he added. "So you are very confident that there is a system in place that minimizes this risk," Aquino further asked. Cauton said they have some personnel, together with the non-government organizations, that will monitor the conditions of the drivers. "That some does not give me confidence. How big is some? How many people are tasked to do this?" the President asked.

It was at this point that Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus butted in and said that they now have a Land Transport Safety and Investigation Committee that will look into the accidents. De Jesus said the committee will look into the road worthiness of the buses and who certified it as road worthy on the part either of the Land Transportation Office or the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the driver, whether he was under the influence or drugs or liquor or whether he underwent any proficiency test. "This is probably the only time we are going to monitor in a systematic way the causes of these accidents," De Jesus said. The President then asked for a compilation of accident reports, status of cases and companies involved. De Jesus said they will be able to provide the data they have compiled in the last eight months after Holy Week. Aquino also asked his Cabinet to find out if there is a law which requires provincial bus companies to have two drivers on board during night and long travel. He said most of the accidents happen when the drivers fall asleep due to fatigue and long drive. "If there’s no law. We will draft one then we will ask the legislature. So yung inputs, assuming na walang law or merong law at kulang sa law, either baka an addition to the law or amendment to the law, as soon as possible," he said. Overloading At the same briefing, newly installed Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Ramon Liwag gave assurance that there will be no overloaded sea vessels that will be allowed to sail. "We sent people to board vessels, at least three people, and to find out seaworthiness of the vessels pertaining to its initial stability, if it is upright and the water line which determines if it is overloaded. We will ask the shipping company to disembark, there is a strict order that they will not sail," he said. He noted that their only concern were the areas which has no Coast Guard personnel and has motor bancas that carry passengers. He said he does not have the figures but gave assurances that they have sought the help of the local government units to fill up the task. Aquino directed his Cabinet to make sure that all the plans will be implemented to ensure the safety of the public. "Baka naman pag nakaalis na sila mag-relax na tayo nang konti dito. Pati yung pagbalik klaro ha, the whole process in reverse, that’s what I’m saying. Make sure that all of these plans have yung reverse, already part of the plan," he said. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News