DAVAO CITY — The public utility vehicle drivers will soon enjoy a day for themselves, as the House of Representatives approved on third reading, House Bill No. 8915, declaring May 8 of every year as a National Special Working Holiday.
This after DUMPER party-list Representative Claudine Diana Bautista successfully defended her brainchild before the house which ushered to its approval.
The bill aims to recognize the indispensable role of our PUV drivers in nation-building and to elevate their status as key players in keeping our economy.
“It’s been almost two years since I filed this bill, but this was something I wanted to make sure was passed, dahil alam ko kung gaano kasipag ang ating mga PUV drivers at gaano sila kahalaga hindi lamang sa ating mga komyuter, kung hindi pati sa buong bayan,” Bautista emphasized.
The bill, according to Bautista also seeks to encourage the use of public transportation, especially on PUV Drivers’ Day, as the preferred mode of transportation for Filipinos throughout the country.
She added saying, “Napapanahon na, sa pamamagitan ng panukalang batas na inaprubahan ng Karama, atin sila ngayong kilalanin sa kanilang sipag at kabayanihan dahil sa gitna ng pandemya, patuloy nilang binabagtas ang kanilang mga ruta ng buong tapang, para sa kanilang mga pasahero, sa kanilang mga pamilya, at para sa ating bansa”.
(It is time, with the passage of this law in Congress, we recognize them because of their courage and heroism , they continue to serve their routes to ferry their passengers, their families and the country).
Bautista said the drivers did not hesitate to ply their routes to serve the people despite the threat of the pandemic.
Once the President signed the bill, it will be published in the Philippine Gazette and become a law.-Francis Magbanua
