DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/27 May) — Road accidents since last year that left several people dead and injured have prompted an official to seek clarification on the status of the implementation of permit requirements for drivers.
Councilor Leonardo Avila III, chair of the city council committee on transportation said he has asked the Department of Transportation and Communication as well as the Land Transport Franchising Regulatory Board to explain to the council.
Speaking during the privilege hour at the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s regular session Monday, Avila said he was referring to a DOTC order requiring drivers to have certifications of driver proficiency before they can be issued certificates of public convenience.
The proficiency certifications will be given by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), according to the DOTC order dated April 26, 2011.
The memo said the LTFRB would only release certificates of public convenience to drivers of public utility buses and heavy trucks if they are certified by TESDA with Driving National Certificate III.
Drivers of all other public vehicles should be certified by TESDA with Driving National Certificate II.
In a text message, Avila said he has written the DOTC and LTFRB to inform the council on the level of implementation of such order.
According to a Traffic Management Center report signed by TMC chief Supt. Rhodelio Poliquit, a total of 5,091 traffic accidents occurred from September-December 2013. These resulted in 49 deaths, 154 serious injuries, 785 minor injuries and 2,561 counts of damage to property.
From January-April 2014, there were 1,150 accidents that resulted in five deaths, 147 injuries and 518 counts of damage to property.
On May 18, at least 11 persons were injured when a 10-wheeler truck from Kitaotao, Bukidnon rammed into at least 14 vehicles along the national highway in Calinan district.
PO2 Joseph Gumtang, radio operator of the Calinan Police Station told MindaNews that truck driver Cirilo Dorado Icoy claimed he lost his brakes that led to the accident near the NCCC shopping center in Calinan’s centro shortly before 6 p.m.
On May 25, four people were killed in two separate vehicular accidents on the Bukidnon-Davao Road and in Panacan.
The Bukidnon-Davao Road accident killed three people and injured 32 others, while the one in Panacan killed one person and injured three others.
On Tuesday, May 27, three people aboard a motorcycle died after hitting the concrete foundation of a culvert.
The victims, Julius John Inid Pila and two other males died on the spot. (MindaNews)
