Raffy Tulfo flags lack of safety measures in bus companies' motorpools

Senator Raffy Tulfo has flagged the lack of safety measures in several motorpools of bus companies in Metro Manila.

The chairperson of the Senate public services committee released his findings after he conducted a surprise inspection along with personnel from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

In a statement, Tulfo underscored the importance of inspecting motorpools of public utility bus companies, noting that this is where preventive maintenance and repair of vehicles are done.

He explained that an inspection will also show if the maintenance and repairs are done properly by certified mechanics.

"Bumulaga sa akin ang samu’t saring violations. Una, bilang vice chairman din ng Senate Committee on Labor and Employment, nakita ko ang kaawa-awang kalagayan ng mga mekaniko," Tulfo said in a statement.

(I came across multiple violations. First, as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment, I witnessed the deplorable condition of the mechanics.)

In his inspection, the lawmaker noted the lack of personal protective equipment for workers in the motorpools, such as gloves, work boots, aprons, and safety goggles.

In one motorpool, Tulfo said the machines and equipment used for bus maintenance were filthy and lacked safety covers.

He observed that the electrical lines were tangled and some were "haphazardly tapped."

Tulfo also shared that one motorpool had an under chassis or service pit with no safety markings, which he said creates a risk for workers.

One motorpool also lacked proper ventilation, and the area was extremely hot, which might cause workers to inhale various chemical fumes.

During the inspection, the senator asked motorpool managers to present TESDA certifications for their mechanics. However, Tulfo said most of them had none.

While some bus companies were partially compliant with TESDA requirements, Tulfo said their training procedures were outdated, as noted by the TESDA representative who joined the inspection.

Further, Tulfo flagged some bus companies for not having proper preventive maintenance or warranty booklets for each bus unit, which he said would make inspections by LTFRB and other agencies more difficult.

After the inspection, Tulfo directed motorpool managers to submit the maintenance and compliance records of each bus unit to the LTFRB, LTO, and TESDA.

These records will be scrutinized in the future Senate public services committee inquiries. — VBL, GMA Integrated News