MANILA- The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday reminded schools to contract only accredited tourist bus companies for field trips and other off-campus activities.

LTFRB Board Member Aileen Lizada said school administrators should get accredited tourist transport services and that the Department of Education should clarify the type of vehicle schools will use.

“Ang kinakailangang gamitin diyan ay one, tourist bus.. meron din tayong tinatawag na tourist transport shuttles, these are the tourist vans. Ito, sila they can go anywhere in the Philippines,” she said.

(What should be used are tourist buses and tourist transport shuttles or tourist vans. These can go anywhere in the Philippines.)

School administrators should also check the bus company's certificate of franchise, insurance, and other necessary documents.

A contract should be signed by the school and the tourist transport service to ensure that the deal is legal.

“You are delegating to that bus company that responsibility that you owe to the children, to the children’s parents,” Lizada explained.

Physical condition of buses must also be inspected by either school officials or LTFRB representatives, Lizada said.

“We look at the bus itself. Wala pang butas, the glasses are not broken. We also check the driver’s license ng driver na magmamaneho, professional ba?" Lizada said.

(No holes, the glasses are not broken. We also check the driver's license if he is a professional.)

Commercial transport buses should not be used as these are for public transport.

“You do not use regular buses unless meron silang application sa amin (LTFRB) for special permit. Kung kukuha kayong regular bus at wala po silang permit, ito po ay colorum,” Lizada said.

(You do not use regular buses unless they have an application with the LTFRB for a special permit. If you will use a regular bus without a permit, that would be colorum [illegal].)

Violators can be penalized as much as P1 million with three months impounding of the vehicle.