Ban sought for drunk passengers in PUVs

A PROPOSED ordinance prohibiting drunk passengers to board any public utility vehicles (PUVs) in the Summer Capital has passed on first reading by the City Council.

Authored by councilors Joel Alangsab and Benny Bomogao, the measure applies to all PUVs (jeepneys, jitneys, buses and UV express) operating within the territorial jurisdiction of the city government of Baguio.

It defines a drunk person as someone whose physical and mental faculties are impaired by an excess of alcoholic drink that may be characterized by acting unruly, rowdy, disorderly, wild, irrational and violent due to lack or diminution of self-control.

The councilors said the proposed ordinance provides and promotes safety or protection to passengers against unscrupulous, undisciplined, bully or maton (siga) drunk passengers.

It calls for operators, drivers, driver’s associations, bus companies, barkers and conductors of PUVs operating within the territorial jurisdiction of Baguio to not allow any person who is drunk to board their vehicles.

If they willfully allow such, then they will be penalized with a P500 fine for the first offense; P1,000 for the second offense and P3,000 for the third offense. Subsequent offenses will incur a penalty of P5,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both at the discretion of the court.

A passenger barred but who insist on boarding will be re-

ported immediately to any police officer or deputized agents. In case boarding was done without fault of the driver, barker or conductor, the driver has the duty to drop the drunk passenger to the nearest police station.

The drunk passenger brought to the police station will be penalized in accordance with the penalties provided in the proposed ordinance.

The Baguio City Police Office or any of its deputized agents shall implement the measure by issuance of ticket citations. Barangay tanods, purok leaders and barangay officials may be deputized by the City Mayor.

If the proposed ordinance is finally approved, the concerned PUVs shall prominently post and display in their vehicles the warning, “Drunk Passengers are not allowed to board” signage, visible to the public. Bus, jeepney and UV express terminals will also display the same signage. Violators will be penalized under the measure. Gaby Keith/Baguio City PIO