Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 8) — The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is looking into solutions including possibly offering special bus permits for trips to resume on the Antique route where a road crash killed 17 people.
The 13 units of operator Ceres Bus Liner plying that route have been slapped with a 90-day preventive suspension following the incident. LTFRB spokesperson Celine Pialago on Friday said this means no buses are available to travel the route.
“The only operator on that route is Ceres so our regional director is closely coordinating with Ceres to fast track the submission of all of the requirements needed,” Pialago told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
“It’s up to the regional director if he will issue special permits or other measures could be done because holiday season is coming,” she added.
LTFRB Western Visayas Regional Director Richie Osmeña said Ceres will be allowed to apply for special permits to ply the same route, but other bus liners can also apply. He added no requests have been made so far, but he expects the requests to come in next week.
The Antique route has also been tagged as accident prone, prompting the LTFRB to form recommendations for the area.
Pialago said the board is set to meet with regional representatives and local Department of Public Works and Highways directors to discuss the eight recommendations for that bus route.
Recommendations under consideration include installation of road humps, extra large road safety barriers, rumble strips, and warning signs. Other recommendations are a mandatory submission of maintenance reports, an intense media campaign, and the conduct of drivers’ academy modules.
“Based on the inspection of our regional director, the area is really an accident prone area so these recommendations will help to avoid similar accidents and avoid untoward incidents in that area,” she said.
To avoid other incidents, Pialago said the LTFRB is also reminding operators to ensure that all units set for long travel are in roadworthy condition.
Thirteen passengers died on the spot when the Ceres bus fell off a cliff in Hamtic, Antique on Tuesday while four others died in the hospital, the provincial governor said.
