Bus drivers blame their unruly practice of overspeeding on the imposition of “boundary" by transport operators, according to a report by GMA News’ Rawnna Crisostomo earlier this week. The report, aired over GMA Network's Saksi on Monday night, said most passenger buses passing through major thoroughfares in Metro Manila are seen overspeeding to carry more commuters even before their working shifts end. "Nagahabol kami sa komisyon. Kasi kung mababa koleksyon namin, magkano lang kikitain namin? Hindi maiwasan [na humarurot] minsan," said a bus driver plying along Commonwealth Avenue.
Overspeeding buses have been brought to the public’s attention once again after journalist-professor Lourdes “Chit" Estella-Simbulan was killed May 13 in a bus-taxi collision on Commonwealth Avenue, touted as one of the world’s most dangerous highways. According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), a total of 405 accidents took place along the “killer highway" in the first four months of 2011. The figure, however, is less compared to the 872 accidents that occurred in the same period last year. MMDA records also showed that at least three deaths were recorded along Commonwealth Avenue in the January-April period in 2011, from five deaths in the similar period last year. A total of 106 wounded individuals on the highway were documented in the first four months of this year, a drop from 192 wounded individuals posted in the same period last year, the MMDA added. Bus driver Rey Cunanan himself admitted that accidents taking place on Commonwealth Avenue and other major highways in Metro Manila could be attributed primarily to overspeeding passenger buses. Cunanan said he only needs to have a take-home pay of P1,400 in an 18-hour period for his family to survive. He said he could only obtain such an amount if he could handover P13,500 to his bus operator during the period. Otherwise, he could only bring home a measly P700 for his family. "Kelangan maghabol na makarami ng biyahe para makarami ng porsiyento," according to Cunanan.
Such an unsound validation by bus drivers has prompted Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño to file a bill in the House of Representatives seeking for the regularization of drivers, instead of only being commission-based. Crisostomo’s report said that with the measure, the drivers will be avoiding vehicular accidents. They also don’t need to exceed eight hours driving on the road just to meet their boundary, it added. The draft of the measure, according to Casiño, has yet to pass its first reading in the House. "Kung ikaw ay pagod na pagod, puyat na puyat, at kelangan mong maghabol ng pasahero para kumita, eh mas malamang sa hindi ay maaksidente ka. So by addressing that, mababawasan ang mga aksidente," Casiño said in justifying his bill. The report said metro bus operators are open to the passage of the bill. But lawyer Grace Aducol, spokesperson of Metro Bus Transport Club, insisted that the drivers are already getting several benefits on top of commission-based pay they are receiving. "Hindi po naging standard ng bus operators na medyo maabala po ang mga drivers o maabuso sila dahil mayroon po silang mga benepisyo na para po sa kanila," she said.
— RSJ, GMA News 
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