Members of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) and transportation alliances have called on Congress to pass the bill creating the Philippine Transportation Safety Board (PTSB) which languished in its chambers for nearly two decades.
Ebb Hinchliffe, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, in a statement said once enacted, the new PTSB can commence its programs to discourage and reduce major transportation accidents taking the lives of too many Filipinos.
JFC, joined in a letter by Safe Travel Alliance, International Air Transport Association and Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, called on the House and Senate to complete the ratification of the reconciled version of the Bicameral Conference Committee of Senate Bill 1077 and House Bill 9030, creating the PTSB.
The business groups are hopeful this important bill will be ratified by both chambers of Congress when they resume session for three weeks on January 17 before they go on campaign recess on February 5.
The Bicameral Conference Committee has been constituted since September 2021 but has yet to meet.
Once ratified, the bill can finally be endorsed for enactment by the president.
The PTSB bill has repeatedly been filed since 2004 and only during the current 18th Congress has this bill reached the most advanced stage in both chambers and thus now has solid prospects for enactment.
The proposed law seeks the creation of a non-regulatory and independent agency attached to the Office of the President to be the primary agency responsible for the conduct of impartial investigation on transportation-related accidents and incidents. The main objectives of the Board are: to improve transportation safety measures that will help in the prevention of transportation accidents and mitigation of dangers to human lives and property; and to ensure the implementation of transportation safety standards.
Presently, different agencies handle different sectors of transportation with regard to accident investigations.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority of the Philippines has jurisdiction over aviation disasters.
Sea mishaps are under the Maritime Industry Authority which forms inquiry boards to investigate major maritime disasters. For road accidents involving public utility vehicles, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has jurisdiction. Road accidents may also be investigated by the Philippine National Police, the Land Transportation Office and by the Metro Manila Development Authority.
