Press Release
October 27, 2009

NO TO ROLLING, FLOATING, AND FLYING COFFINS
 THIS HALLOWEEN -REVILLA

Senator Bong Revilla today urged all concerned agencies to ensure the safety of travelers this coming All Saints' Day by maintaining the worthiness of all public transportation- by land, air and sea- as he cautioned the public against another storm that is expected to hit the country this long weekend.

According to the senator, transportation companies which will be found guilty of taking advantage of the expected huge crowd of passengers who will be going on vacation to or from the provinces must be sanctioned. "If necessary, I will push for the cancellation of franchises of authorized public transportation companies that will be proven guilty of franchise violations. We don't need rolling coffins, floating coffins, and flying coffins this Halloween," said Revilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services.

He said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and its attached agencies should exert all efforts together with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure the safety and convenience of the commuting public.

Revilla appealed to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to intensify its campaign against colorum buses which was conservatively estimated at 2,000 plying on EDSA alone. "The LTO must double its efforts to make certain the roadworthiness of provincial buses before its departure from the terminal. This is to prevent road accidents and guarantee smooth land-based travel," he pointed out.

The lawmaker stressed that the expected further rise of public transport demand should not be addressed to the extent of ignoring at the moment illegal PUVs, overloading sea vessels, disordered airport procedures and other travel hassles.

He further warned that maritime accidents brought by overloaded boats are common in our country where the only means of cheap inter-island transport is by boats and other sea vessels. "We must not be stubborn. If we want to save lives, we must learn from the past. We must strengthen our security measures in seaports not only to avoid crimes but also prevent sea tragedies. It would be better if security measures will focus primarily against overloading, not just on help desks and security personnel visibility," he added.

On air travel, Revilla demanded the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to make sure that all airplanes, whether private or commuter aircraft, are safe to fly before leaving the airport. "We must not allow the recurrence of the plane crash last week where four persons were killed. There must be a strict inspection prior to departure to guarantee the airworthiness of the plane and the safety of its passengers," he said.

At the same time, Revilla warned travelers against a brewing storm that is likely to hit the country these coming days. "Travelers should be monitor updates on the weather. I don't want to spoil their travel plans this weekend but if their planned area of destination is surely the wrath path of the storm, it would be better if they cancel their trip," he said.

He explained that there is a great risk when traveling during storm, especially on inter-island trips. "The Philippine Coast Guard should be on the look-out against any sea vessel, may it be big ships or motorized bancas, that may ignore storm warnings and risk the lives of its passengers."

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), a cyclone could enter Philippine territory on Thursday or Friday. It would be named Santi once it enters the Philippine area of responsibility. The following areas would likely be affected by the storm: Visayas, Southern Luzon, Bicol Region, Central Luzon , and Metro Manila.

News Latest News Feed