MANILA, Philippines—Here’s a scary thought to ponder while you’re driving along EDSA: are those bus drivers actually trained in how to operate their vehicles?
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) reminded bus firms of a three-year-old regulation requiring drivers to be trained and certified by the agency.
Alarmed by the number of road mishaps caused mostly by erring bus drivers, Tesda director general Joel Villanueva asked company owners to make sure their drivers have Tesda certificates to ensure passenger safety. In one recent incident, a Dela Rosa Transit bus flattened a Toyota Vios on EDSA. The driver of the Vios was injured but survived. Numerous accidents transpired within the last fourteen months, including the Don Mariano bus that fell from the Skyway, killing at least 20 persons.
Bus drivers who pass the Tesda assessment are issued national certificate (NC) III, which has been required by the Land Transportation Office, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Department of Transportation and Communications since 2011.
Bus companies that use uncertified drivers face suspension or revocation of their franchise.-Jeanette I. Andrade
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