SEN. GRACE POE'S SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
ON SENATE BILL NO. 1749

"AN ACT TO IMPROVE LAND TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS, STATIONS, STOPS, REST AREAS AND ROLL-ON/ROLL-OFF TERMINALS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES"

Mr. President, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services, It is my honor to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1749 or "An Act to Improve Land Transportation Terminals, Stations, Stops, Rest Areas and Roll-On/Roll-Off Terminals, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes. This is under Committee Report 286.

This measure is in substitution of Senate Bill No. 1695 filed by this representation, and takes into consideration the approved House Bill No. 725 authored by Representatives Dalog, Revilla, Dalipe, Pimentel, Gonzales, Castelo, Biazon, Sambar, Sarmiento, and Primicias-Agabas.

Mr. President, malapit ang pagbibiyahe sa kultura at damdamin ng Pilipino. According to the Long Term Vision of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA study: Ambisyon Natin 2040), Filipinos consider travelling as one of the signs that their family is living well. Maginhawa ang buhay kapag nakakapag-biyahe ang pamilya.

Suportado po ito ng datos ng Philippine Statistics Authority. Ayon sa PSA, 42 million na Pilipino ang naglakbay noong 2016. This is equivalent to 58 percent of the population aged 15 and above. Kaya siguro buhay na buhay ang turismo sa Pilipinas. Ayon muli sa PSA, domestic tourism expenditure reached P2,108.2 billion in 2016.

Long-distance land transportation is a crucial and important part of travelling in the country. Kung aakyat ka ng Baguio upang magpalamig, ikaw ay ba-byahe ng lima hanggang anim na oras sa bus. Kung nais mong mag-surfing sa San Juan, La Union o sa Baler, Aurora ay aabutin ka rin ng mga anim hanggang pitong oras sa bus. Walo hanggang sampung oras naman kung biyaheng Ilocos para sa heritage towns ng probinsya o sa masasarap na laing at spicy food ng Bicolandia.

Along the tens of thousands of kilometers of lengthy roads all around the country, land transportation terminals, stations, stops, and rest areas are like sanctuaries for travelers using land transportation. Minsan parang game show ang paggamit sa mga ito: behind door number one, malinis na comfort room na may tubig at sabon; behind door number two, CR na marumi na walang amenities kahit ano.

The present measure seeks to improve land transportation terminals, stations, stops, rest areas and roll-on/roll-off terminals through simple, effective and practical measures. During our committee hearings, we came up with the following simple but effective proposals:

First, this measure seeks to mandate owners, operators, or administrators of land transport terminals, stations, stops, rest areas, and RORO terminals to provide clean, sanitary facilities for passengers. This measure harmonizes existing laws and regulations on this matter such as the "Code on Sanitation of the Philippines" and LTFRB's "Guidelines for Off-Street Terminal Operations".

Second, it seeks to prohibit the collection of fees from passengers for the use of sanitary facilities in transport terminals. This institutionalizes the LTFRB's existing guidelines on the same issue.

Third, this measure seeks to mandate the provision of free internet in these terminals. Mr. President, kasama po ito dapat sa pagpapatupad ng mga probisyon ng Republic Act No. 10929, or the "Free Internet Access in Public Places Act". Pinag-iibayo natin lalo na mapabuti ang access sa wifi ng mga pasaherong Pilipino. Ito ay suportado ng DICT at ng mismong mga operators ng bus at samahan ng land transportation sa bansa.

Finally, this measure seeks to mandate the establishment of at least one lactation station which shall be separate from the sanitary facilities. This provision will complement and hasten the necessary standard defined in another law, Republic Act No. 7600, as amended by Republic Act No. 10028, otherwise known as the "Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009".

Mr. President, for the record, we also included terminals of the roll-on/roll-off system in the coverage of this bill. Our RORO vessels are the conveyances of the sea. We should also make sure that those terminals are also clean and comfortable for the travelling public.

Mr. President, this measure is a win-win proposal. It will improve the experience of weary Filipino travelers who use these transport terminals during their long trips. It is an improvement which will be immediately seen and felt.

Agad itong mararamdaman kapag nagbibyahe ang ating mga kababayan kasama ang kanilang mga anak. Ang hirap gumamit ng mga pasilidad na ito 'pag marumi. Bukod sa pwede pa silang magkasakit kung gamitin nila iyon. Siguro naman ito'y nakaka-angat ng integridad at pagtingin natin sa isa't-isa 'pag may respeto sa mga ganitong uring bagay at kaagad-agad mapapansin ang batas na ito na nakatulong sa ating mga kababayan tuwing papasok ka sa mga pasilidad na ganito at nakita mong malinis, magaan kaagad ang iyong pakiramdam.

Mr. President, Filipino travellers 79 percent of domestic travellers in 2016 spent around ₱476 on land transportation. Mr. President, suklian naman natin sila ng mga transport terminal na may malinis at libre na banyo, maayos na lactation station, at libreng wi-fi. This representation thus prays for the speedy consideration and approval of this measure in plenary para hindi naman parang gameshow ang pagpasok natin sa banyo. Maraming salamat po.