TESDA tasked to issue certificates to skilled bus drivers

Thursday 26th of May 2011

QUEZON CITY, May 26 (PIA) --- With the increasing number of vehicular accidents involving public utility vehicles and oftentimes resulting in death and serious injuries, government seem to have no recourse but to implement more traffic rules and measures to avert such incidences – until now.

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) met recently with the Technical Education and Skills Authority (TESDA) to come up with a plausible solution. Both agencies have agreed to accredit initially public utility drivers plying the major routes of Metro Manila.

“If TESDA can accredit OFW drivers who work abroad, I don’t see any reason why we cannot do this here,” declared TESDA director-general Joel Villanueva, who was guest at the Philippine Information Agency’s (PIA) Communication and News Exchange (CNEX) forum aired live today over Radio ng Bayan and NBN 4.

There are about 55,000 public utility drivers and 15,000 of them ply the EDSA route. “If we try to accredit all of them by 2013, we will not be able to do it.”

The proposal, as concluded by the two agencies, was resolved with TESDA conducting a trainors’ training course; those who receive this training would in turn re-train drivers on road rules and regulations and basic courtesy. Eventually, TESDA will issue certficates to drivers who would have passed the stringent system.

According to the TESDA chief, they have certified, so far, two batches of lady drivers now employed by major bus lines. Part of benefit of this TEDA certification is being exempted in the number coding scheme in Metro Manila. (OTM-PIA News Desk)