Do you think we need better driver education here in the Philippines? If you do, then we have good news for you: The House Committee on Transportation has agreed to create a technical working group (TWG) to consolidate five pending House Bills (HB) aimed at achieving just that.
The decision was made during a committee hearing on February 5, 2020. The five bills to be consolidated by the TWG are as follows: HB 505, entitled the ‘Roadworthy Driving Seminar for All Drivers Act’; HB 1191, entitled the ‘Driver Education Act,’ and the relatEd HB 1956; HB 3196, entitled the ‘Mandatory Re-Education Program for All Motor Vehicle Drivers Once Every Five Years’; and HB 4122, entitled the ‘Professional Truck Driver’s Education Act.’
Through these bills, the respective authors seek to address the most common cause of road accidents here in the Philippines: human error. This is based on data from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System (MMARAS). Data from 2018, for instance, showed that road-related incidents that year resulted in a daily average of 49 injuries and one fatality.
If and when the TWG does consolidate these five bills, we may be looking at a more tedious driver’s license application process. On the positive side, a properly implemented driver education program could lead to fewer accidents on the road. Thoughts? Sound off in the comments.
