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| The local government in Tacloban City schedules a two-day 'special' Road Safety Seminar for transport operators and drivers, aiming to enhance road safety awareness and compliance. |
TACLOBAN CITY – The local government unit (LGU) of Tacloban City will conduct a two-day "special" Road Safety Seminar for transport business operators and drivers who failed to fulfil their obligations in 2023. The seminar is scheduled for March 4-5, 2024, at the New Bus Terminal building in Abucay, as announced by TOMECO Traffic Information and Education Service Center Director Isabelo "Jobs" Lagutan.
This decision was made to "accommodate those who failed to attend and comply with their obligations in 2023," according to Lagutan. The authorities provided sufficient time for drivers to attend the seminar from November 23 to December 23 last year, but many were unable to do so due to various reasons.
A certificate of attendance from the Road Safety Seminar is one of the requirements for processing the renewal application for 2024. Those who did not attend the seminar are currently prohibited from operating and are being monitored by the Business Permits and Licenses Division (BPLD) for doing so without a business permit to transport passengers on city streets.
Under the 2000-01 ordinance or the Comprehensive Management Code of Tacloban, all operators/drivers with transport businesses in the city are required to undergo a road safety seminar.
This seminar, led by TOMECO, BPLD, Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO), and other relevant agencies such as the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) and Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), serves as a reminder to implement the discounts for this sector, including informing them of their responsibilities on the road while transporting passengers.
To accommodate the large number of attendees, the authorities have shortened the seminar from two days to half a day. They are also making efforts to reach the over 500 operators/drivers who still need to attend the seminar by scheduling them for both morning and afternoon sessions until all remaining attendees are accommodated.
According to the data from the Transport Section of the BPLD, out of the 2,955 registered and renewed in 2023, only 2,346 operators/drivers attended the said seminar. The annual renewal procedure started on January 2, 2024, and has been extended until the end of this month. —iTacloban