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Advocates Philippines
LTFRB Cracks Down On Bus Firm After Tarlac Tragedy; Orders Swift Insurance For Victims
Viral photo in Facebook
In the wake of a heartbreaking road crash near the Tarlac Exit Toll Plaza, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is taking swift action—not just for accountability, but for justice and compassion.
On May 2, the LTFRB ordered the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency (PAMI) to immediately process and release indemnity payments to the victims of the collision involving a Solid North bus (operated by Dagupan Bus Co., Inc.). The incident claimed several lives and left many injured.
“PAMI must act now. These victims and their families need support, not delays,” LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III emphasized. He added that the insurance payout for each deceased passenger should be Php 400,000, while up to Php 200,000 will be distributed among non-passenger victims, such as pedestrians or drivers of other vehicles.
But that’s not all. The LTFRB has also suspended 15 Dagupan Bus units under a Preventive Suspension Order, effective immediately. These buses, which ply the Lingayen-Cubao route via EDSA and NLEX, will be grounded for 30 days as investigations continue.
The bus operator has been given a long to-do list during the suspension:
• All drivers must attend a mandatory road safety seminar.
• Everyone, including conductors, will undergo drug testing.
• The suspended units must pass a thorough roadworthiness inspection.
• Video proof of all the above? Also required.
• And most importantly: show actual evidence that insurance claims are being paid to the victims’ families.
LTFRB isn’t stopping there. Chair Guadiz announced plans for broader reforms to boost passenger safety. These include mandatory road safety seminars every three years, psychological testing focused on anger management for drivers, and Basic Life Support training for conductors.
This crackdown also comes as the agency prepares to issue a separate show cause order to Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. over two unrelated complaints: one involving the alleged mishandling of a passenger’s cat, and another where a child with a disability was reportedly mocked by a conductor.
For the LTFRB, the message is loud and clear: passenger safety isn’t just a policy—it’s a promise. And they’re ready to hold operators accountable to the fullest extent.
On May 2, the LTFRB ordered the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency (PAMI) to immediately process and release indemnity payments to the victims of the collision involving a Solid North bus (operated by Dagupan Bus Co., Inc.). The incident claimed several lives and left many injured.
“PAMI must act now. These victims and their families need support, not delays,” LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III emphasized. He added that the insurance payout for each deceased passenger should be Php 400,000, while up to Php 200,000 will be distributed among non-passenger victims, such as pedestrians or drivers of other vehicles.
But that’s not all. The LTFRB has also suspended 15 Dagupan Bus units under a Preventive Suspension Order, effective immediately. These buses, which ply the Lingayen-Cubao route via EDSA and NLEX, will be grounded for 30 days as investigations continue.
The bus operator has been given a long to-do list during the suspension:
• All drivers must attend a mandatory road safety seminar.
• Everyone, including conductors, will undergo drug testing.
• The suspended units must pass a thorough roadworthiness inspection.
• Video proof of all the above? Also required.
• And most importantly: show actual evidence that insurance claims are being paid to the victims’ families.
LTFRB isn’t stopping there. Chair Guadiz announced plans for broader reforms to boost passenger safety. These include mandatory road safety seminars every three years, psychological testing focused on anger management for drivers, and Basic Life Support training for conductors.
This crackdown also comes as the agency prepares to issue a separate show cause order to Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. over two unrelated complaints: one involving the alleged mishandling of a passenger’s cat, and another where a child with a disability was reportedly mocked by a conductor.
For the LTFRB, the message is loud and clear: passenger safety isn’t just a policy—it’s a promise. And they’re ready to hold operators accountable to the fullest extent.
May 2, 2025
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