Foreign businesses back bill for transport safety body

Foreign business groups urged lawmakers to move faster in ratifying the reconciled version of a bill that would create an agency in charge of probing transportation-related accidents and other incidents.

The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC), which represents over 3,000 member companies, urged Congress to ratify the reconciled version of a bill that would create the Philippine Transportation Safety Board or PTSB. In a recent statement, they said they have sent letters to the House and Senate leadership to stress the urgency of the measure.

“This important reform bill creating the PTSB is ready for immediate passage. With the bicameral conference committee of both chambers having been convened, the JFC eagerly awaits the ratification of the reconciled version. Once ratified by both houses the bill can finally be endorsed for enactment by the president,” the JFC said.

Closing bureaucratic gap

“With establishment of the PTSB, the gap in bureaucracy which allegedly contributes to inefficiency in the implementation of transportation-safety schemes and ineffectual safety measures will be addressed. PTSB’s regulatory, investigatory and fact-finding functions will allow the agency to implement a proactive approach and be in control of situation even before it happens,” they said.

The JFC is a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese and Korean chambers and regional operating headquarters under the group called Pamuri. They represent member companies engaged in around $100 billion worth of trade and some $30 billion worth of investments in the Philippines.

The measure seeks the creation of a nonregulatory and independent agency attached to the Office of the President, which would then be the primary agency responsible for the conduct of impartial investigation on transportation-related accidents and incidents.

Fragmented oversight

Presently, different agencies handle different sectors of transportation with regard to accident investigations.

For example, sea mishaps are under the Maritime Industry Authority which forms inquiry boards to investigate major maritime disasters. Road accidents that involve public utility vehicles fall under the jurisdiction of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Moreover, other road accidents may also be investigated by the Philippine National Police, the Land Transportation Office and by the Metro Manila Development Authority.

“The PTSB bill has repeatedly been filed since 2004 and has languished in Congress for almost two decades.” the JFC said in a previous statement.