At least 21,000 bus workers are enjoying a regular monthly pay and other benefits after their companies complied with the new public transportation regulations, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday.
Some 10,650 of these beneficiaries are bus drivers, while the remaining 10,035 are bus conductors.
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said they came from 517 public utility bus (PUB) companies, which were granted with a Labor Standards Compliance Certificates (LSCC) as of October.
The LSCC is issued by DOLE regional offices to bus firms, which have workplace safety standards in place and have provided their workers with basic entitlements like fixed-wage, productivity-based pay, standard work hours and access to basic social services.
DOLE implemented last year the LSCC through Department Order No. 118-12 after a government study showed that bus employees exposed to hazardous work environment are more prone to vehicular accidents.
These factors include excessive work hours, lack of necessary training, and a commission-based compensation scheme.
Baldoz said DOLE expects the number of bus accidents to steadily decline by next year as more companies receive their LSCC.
“The ultimate goal of D.O. 118-12 is the safety not only of drivers and conductors, but also of passengers and pedestrians,” Baldoz stressed.
“The DOLE regional offices are continually assisting bus companies with pending application for LSCCs, especially in developing their fixed and performance-based compensation scheme,” she added.
At least 1,120 bus companies have a pending application for an LSCC.
The LSCC is a mandatory requirement for bus companies before the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board would renew their franchise to operate.

Source: Manila Bulletin - November 9, 2013