MANILA – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday warned public utility bus (PUB) and terminal operators that they must comply with the requirements for free sanitary facilities and safety requirements in their terminals or face penalties.
“The terminal requirements must be strictly followed in order to provide our passengers a reliable, safe, accessible, environment-friendly, dependable, efficient, and comfortable public transportation throughout the country,” LTFRB Chair Teofilo Guadiz III said.
In a statement, he said these requirements include having a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), closed-circuit television (CCTV) with continuous 72-hour recording and valid fire extinguishers.
PUBs and terminals are required to offer free access and use of sanitary facilities on all terminals, stations, and stop-overs and submission of Office of Transportation Security (OTS)–approved security plan.
Collection of fees to access sanitary facilities is prohibited and these facilities must have priority/express lanes and have diaper-changing tables, Guadiz said.
All these requirements, he said, were stipulated in various orders and policies of the Department of Transportation.
“Any PUB and terminal operators that fail to comply with the above requirements shall be subject to the penalties provided by the circulars covering the above requirement, or under Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01, or as may be determined by the Board,” a memorandum released by the LTFRB dated Nov. 8 read. (PNA)