A driver waits for passengers to get on the bus at the NEPA Q-Mart Carousel Bus Station on Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) on December 19, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and conductors would soon be required to undergo comprehensive training on road safety as a prerequisite for franchise renewal.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz said the program aimed to address the rising number of road accidents resulting in injuries and deaths, as well as road rage incidents involving PUVs.

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The two-day mandatory training will include “psychological profiling” and basic life support and first-aid training to be conducted by LTFRB-accredited driving schools and clinics.

“Yung mga nakikita natin sa social media— nagbabanggaan na jeep, nag-aaway, nagbatuhan. Bakit, ano ba yung dahilan nun? It’s more on nagkakagirian sa daan so there is a need now to address yung kanilang mental and emotional aptitude in times of stress,” said Guadiz.

“Meron pong simulation test na gagawin… May biglang tatawid, may biglang mag-o-overtake o biglang may magmumurang driver. Through that process nakikita namin yung reaction ng driver. Pag mahina na reflexes niya pag may nag-overtake, pag may halimbawa nag-overtake at pinagalitan siya, ano ba ang first instinct niya, magagalit or hahayaan na lang ba niya?” he said.

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Guadiz said the LTFRB set a cap of P2,000 per participant for the enrollment fee.

“I think the amount is reasonable… Based on my experience when I was at LTO (Land Transportation Office), nung hindi pa nabibigyan ng cap yan, it went as high as P5,000, P6,000 ang sinisingil so we have to protect the driver,” he said.

But he added that transport operators, cooperatives and corporations could opt and are even encouraged to set up their own driver academy by hiring their own instructors and physicians  accredited by the LTFRB.

“This is a very little price compared to the life na pwedeng mawala in the event of a road rage or in the event of an accident… Kung sabi nilang pabigat, yung mga cooperatives, they can have their own instructors at no cost to the drivers… Hindi sila kailangan gumastos nang P2,000 per head.,” said Guadiz.

For its pilot run, the training program will first be applied to bus and truck drivers and operators in Metro Manila. After three months, it will be implemented in other metropolitan areas like Cebu and Davao.

By its second year, the program will cover UV and jeepney drivers. The last phase will be for motorcycle taxi and transport network vehicle service (TNVS) drivers.

Guadiz said transport groups would be given three years to have their entire fleet comply with the training.

“We give them this grace period so that they will have appropriate elbow room to prepare. Tsaka isa pa, hindi pwedeng sabay-sabay yung mga driver tatanggalin mo sa daan, mawawalan ng driver ang isang cooperative o isang bus company. So three years to comply. Siguro every week may 2 o 3 na nagte-training sa kanila hanggang sa mabuo nila,” he said.