Pres. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. vetoed the bill creating the Philippine Transportation Safety Board [PTSB].
He said that the proposed body duplicates the functions that are already being performed and undertaken by the different agencies under the Department of Transportation. These functions are already in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Land Transportation Office, Philippine Coast Guard, Aircraft Accident Investigation Inquiry Board, and Maritime Industry Authority.
In addition, even the Philippine National Police [PNP] and the National Bureau of Investigation [NBI] also perform the same functions.
It was also stated under the bill that the proposed PTSB shall be an independent and a non-regulatory agency under the Office of the President that will ensure the maintenance of a safe, viable, efficient, and dependable transportation system; improve transportation safety measures to prevent accidents, and to ensure the implementation of transportation safety standards.
“Considering that one of the primary policies and declared priorities of the administration is to enhance the government’s institutional capacity through optimal and efficient use of resources and strategic rationalization of the functions of government agencies, I am constrained to veto the bill,” the President said in his veto message.
He also further stated that instead of pushing for the approval of the proposal, Congress must push measures that will look into the functions, operations, organization, systems, and processes of the said government agencies with the end view of strengthening the same and providing a holistic and well-coordinated approach in the promotion of transportation safety.
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