. . . and issued new ones after undergoing and completion of training and securing the requisite certification from Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). This has been proposed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority after the spate of accidents involving buses, among others.
This proposal may appear to be commendable but it does not actually resolve the problem of reckless driving among bus drivers until after the other measures, such as but not limited to the fixed wage system pursuant to a DOLE directive has been implemented and fully complied with. There is also the issue of competent and honest traffic enforcers as well as discipline equally expected of other drivers including motorcycle drivers.
There is also a question on the constitutionality of arbitrary cancellation of licenses since this is deprivation of a right or privilege without due process of law. Even those who are competent drivers are being made to suffer for the incompetence and recklessness of others. It would have been different had the seminar would simply be made as an additional requirement in order to handle and drive a public utility or passenger vehicles. Perhaps, it is simply a matter of approach in addressing a chronic problem.
As we can aptly observe, here the government is doing something positive to instill discipline among the drivers, so must the employers do their share and further discharge their duty to the public they committed to serve, and of course, the drivers themselves, to police their own ranks, be the best they could be.
