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MAJOR
transport groups have expressed strong opposition to the
takeover by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)
of the issuance of the Compulsory Third Party Liability
(CTPL) insurance on registered passenger and private
vehicles in the country from the present 67 private
insurers.
In a
letter to Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, the
group leaders said there is no need to change a system
that is working well as far as motor vehicle insurance
is concerned.
“If
ain’t broke, why fix it,” part of the letter read.
Those
against the GSIS takeover are Zenaida Maranan of
Federation of Jeepney Drivers Association of the
Philippines; Homer Mercado of the Provincial Bus
Operators Association of the Philippines; Efren de Luna
of Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations;
Melencio Vargas of the Alliance of Transport Operators
and Drivers Association of the Philippines; Obet Martin
of Pasang Masda; Orlando Marquez of Makati Jeepney
Operators and Drivers Association, along with Elena
Santos of Santrans; Manuel Duran of National Transport
Union; Ben Rubio of Kapisanan ng Kooperatiba ng mga
Pampublikong Sasakyan; and Luring Naval of the
Association of Taxi Operators in Metro Manial.
According to Vargas, they fear that a change in
administration of CTPL could inject problems to an
already working organization.
At
present, the drivers and operators, including
passengers, have not encountered problems in the
processing of insurance claims and can easily avail
themselves of the insurance benefits due them.
The
group also expressed apprehension that a GSIS takeover
would mean more fake CTPL policies because of “lack of
knowledge” in handling the new system.
According to the transport leaders, they fear that the
benefits their members get from the 67 private insurers
every time they figure in an accident under the “All
Risk, No Fault Coverage” would be lost in the reported
takeover.
Vargas,
who is also the president of United Transport Koalisyon,
said that under the All Risk No Fault Coverage every
beneficiary can avail himself of an immediate P400,000
insurance benefit, which they fear the GSIS could not
meet once it assumes the CTPL issuance. The country has
3.6 billion vehicle owners.
Aside
from the accident benefits, every driver is covered by a
P20,000 bail bond the moment he/she figures in an
accident and gets jailed under the 24/7 Emergency
Ambulance Road Accident Assistance.
The
group leaders also fear that a GSIS takeover would mean
more people losing their jobs even as drivers, operators
and pedestrians would lose their benefits. |
