Public Transportation Issues in the Philippines

Land Transportation in the Philippines

• Land transportation is a major issue in the Philippines, with characteristics such as on-street competition, low income, chaos in the streets, exhausted drivers, traffic violations, and a high incidence of accidents and bad behavior.

Public Transportation in the Philippines

• The public transportation system in the Philippines is unsafe, unhealthy, unreliable, and uncomfortable.
• Public utility buses (PUBs) and public utility jeepneys (PUJs) serve 67% of the demand but use 28% of road space. (Source: JICA, 2014)
• The country experiences an economic loss of PHP 2.4 billion due to traffic congestion.
• Many Filipinos dream of owning a car, but this is not a viable solution for the country's transportation problems.

Modes of Transportation in the Philippines

• Land transportation: covers areas within Metro Manila, Laguna, and some parts of Bicol.
• Railways: only have a 79 km footprint as of 2019.
• Water transportation: the Philippine Nautical Highway System (or RoRo System) covers 919 km of integrated highway segments and ferry routes, serving 17 cities.

Traffic Management

• The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is the primary policy, planning, programming, coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity of the executive branch on the promotion, development, and regulation of a dependable and coordinated network of transportation systems.
• The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is responsible for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure, especially national highways, flood control, and water resources development systems.
• The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is in charge of the issuance and revocation of driver's licenses and permits, administering exams, and registering motor vehicles nationwide.

Pedestrian Facilities

• Sidewalks in the Philippines are generally in good condition, but often lack safety features, especially for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
• Pedestrian crossings, such as bridges, skywalks, subways, or grade crossings, are few and often inaccessible to the elderly and handicapped.

Vehicle Registration

• Motor vehicles are classified into four categories: private, for hire, government, and diplomatic.
• The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is responsible for the registration of motor vehicles.
• EO No. 400 Series 2005 regulates the assignment and issuance of low-numbered (protocol) license plates to motor vehicles used by government officials.

Driving License

• The Land Transportation and Traffic Code (Republic Act 4136) regulates the issuance of driving licenses.
• There are three types of licenses: student driver permits, non-professional driver licenses, and professional driver licenses.
• Examinations, both written and practical, are required to obtain a driver's license.

Insurance

• The Compulsory Third Party Liability (CTPL) insurance is the primary car insurance plan required for all vehicle owners before LTO vehicle registration.
• CTPL insurance covers death, injury, or damage to third-party individuals or property.
• Additional insurance coverage, such as comprehensive car insurance, is optional but recommended.