The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued a preventive suspension order (PSO) against 15 public utility buses of Dagupan Bus Company, which are operated by Solid North Transit.
The move was made in response to a a fatal multiple-vehicle collision that took place near the Tarlac Exit Toll Plaza along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).
An initial report from the Tarlac Police Provincial Office stated that the crash occurred when a Solid North bus failed to stop and struck four other vehicles in lane 2, triggering a chain collision.
The crash resulted in the deaths of at least 10 individuals and over 37 sustained injuries.
Ultimately, the LTFRB also directed the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency (PAMI) to immediately process and release insurance claims for the victims.
“I instructed PAMI to immediately address the needs of those who are involved in the road crash,” said LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III.
“They should start identifying the dead bodies and indemnify the families—Php 400,000 for each deceased passenger," he added.
The LTFRB explained that the maximum insurance coverage is ₱400,000 per bus passenger involved in an accident. For non-passengers—such as pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles—the maximum indemnity is capped at an aggregate amount of ₱200,000, to be shared among all affected individuals.
Meanwhile, with the suspension in effect, the LTFRB also ordered the bus operator to comply with the following directives within the 30-day period:
- Undergo a road safety seminar for all drivers assigned to the affected units
- Conduct compulsory drug testing for all drivers and conductors of the suspended units
- Pass a roadworthiness inspection of all suspended buses, to be conducted by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) or authorized vehicle inspection centers
- Submit video documentation of the roadworthiness inspection, road safety seminar, and drug testing
- Provide proof of insurance payouts to ensure victims receive the mandated compensation
The operator was also ordered to turn over the physical plates of all suspended units to the LTFRB Legal Division without delay.
Moreover, the LTO, MMDA, and PNP-HPG were instructed to apprehend and impound any unit found operating in violation of the suspension.
