MANILA, Philippines – Will closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and Global Positioning System (GPS) trackers be required in Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) soon?
The justice department sees no legal impediments for House bills that want to require all PUVs to have CCTV cameras and GPS trackers to get their registration renewed, Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa said in a two-page legal opinion.
“The intention here is for the safety of the passengers. The government cannot watch over its constituents 24 hours a day. However, the installation of CCTV will at least serve as a deterrent to those with evil motives,” Caguioa said.
There are at least 4 House bills – 1992, 3704, 3755, and 5228 – that want added safety measures for PUVs in the country.
Caguioa also suggested minor tweaks to the proposed measures, namely:
- Including the phrase “operating under a franchise or certificate of public convenience” after enumerating the PUVs affected by the law to “delineate that only PUVs operating under a franchise or CPC are covered under this act”; and
- Including a provision that would allow government agencies to access the CCTV footage for investigations.
– Rappler.com