IMAGE CREDIT: PIXABAY.COM
For a totally gratifying travel experience, Senator Grace Poe wants free internet and clean sanitary facilities for passengers in land transportation terminals, pit stops, stations and rest areas all over the country.
“An efficient and functional inter-province transport system is essential to ensuring that Filipinos travel safety…This bill seeks to further improve the traveling experience of Filipinos,” she said in filing Senate Bill No. 1695.
“In particular, rest stops are indispensable for those traveling by land, as they provide a brief pit stop for travelers and bus drivers. This is especially important for Filipinos who travel more than eight hours,” she added.
The bill mandates owners, operators or administrators of transportation terminals, stations, stops and rest areas to cooperate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in the installation of hardware and necessary facilities to ensure the provision of free internet to the passengers.
Poe noted the existence of Republic Act No. 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, which creates a “Free Internet Access Program” in all public places in the country.
The measure also tasked the provision of free and clean sanitary facilities for passengers. The Department of Transportation will conduct random inspections to ensure compliance by establishments.
The establishments are prohibited from collecting fees from passengers for the use of the restroom facilities. Violators will be fined with P5,000 for each day of violation.
