The Senate unanimously approved on third and final reading yesterday the bill proposing the creation of a National Transportation Safety Board.
Senators voted 20-0 to pass on final reading Senate Bill No. 1077 or the proposed National Transportation Safety Board Act which seeks to establish an agency to focus on investigating air, highway, railroad, pipeline, and maritime accidents.
“The NTSB is long overdue, considering the transportation mishaps that have happened in the past that claimed innocent lives,” Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services and sponsor of the bill, said.
“With thorough, timely and substantial investigation, we will be able to prevent those accidents from happening again and give justice to the victims and their families,” she added.
The proposed NTSB shall operate under the Office of the President and shall have seven members led by a chairperson, who will have a five-year term and a rank of department secretary.
As part of its investigation of transportation-related incidents, the board shall be granted authority to conduct inspections and hearings as well as summon witnesses and relevant documents. (Vanne Terrazola)