The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will require all bus operators to install and register GPS (global positioning system) devices on their units.

The GPS tool will be able to monitor the speed of the bus and locate its position as a means to enforce the law and ultimately guarantee public safety, the agency said in a statement.

?The LTFRB?s main aim is to protect the safety of the riding public by regulating the speed limit of buses traversing our national roads and highways. With the use of the latest and innovative technology, we believe we can modernize our transport system and provide the commuters with reliable, convenient, and safe transportation services,? said LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez.

The government said the installation of GPS devices on buses is a measure being taken to minimize road risk as the device can help the LTFRB check if a bus is within the speed limit and on its proper route based on the approved franchise.

As mandated by LTFRB Memorandum Circular (MC) Nos. 2015-021 and 2015-026, all bus operators are required to install and register GPS devices on their units based on the following schedule:

? For provincial buses entering Metro Manila: on or before April 30, 2016

? For Metro Manila buses: May 1 to August 30, 2016

? For inter-regional buses not entering Metro Manila: September 1 to December 31, 2016

? For intra-regional buses: January 1 to April 30, 2017

Four GPS devices have conformed with the technical specifications, as stated in MC Nos. 2015-013 and 2015-024, and passed the testing procedures jointly conducted by the LTFRB, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The details of which are as follows:

The LTFRB has already informed bus transport associations, such as the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) and Southern Luzon Bus Operators Association (SOLUBOA), of the initial list of up-to-spec GPS devices.

Only the approved devices and additional brands that will pass the testing procedures can be registered with the LTFRB and installed on bus units, which can be done only by the GPS device provider under the supervision of the LTFRB?s personnel.

Bus operators who fail to install GPS devices will be penalized P5,000 per unit. After the 30-day grace period from the end of the compliance period, an additional penalty of P1,000 per unit per month will be imposed.

The LTFRB will also penalize operators or drivers found tampering with the devices: P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 for the second offense, and P15,000 and the suspension of their certificate of public convenience (CPC) for 30 days for the third and subsequent offenses.