MANILA, (PIA) -- A senator wants to ensure that the public can travel safely and that there will be no more tragedies in transportation this Holy Week commemoration and long vacation break for many of Filipinos.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said government officials should ensure that safety standards in public transport are strictly enforced so that there is no repeat of a tragedy like the one on March 29 where a passenger vessel caught fire in Basilan, killing one person and injuring many passengers.

Cayetano said it is the government's obligation to keep people safe and the best way to ensure transportation safety is to make no excuses when it comes to regulation.

The senator also encouraged the authorities to be strict in banning substandard public utility vehicles and transport units from the roads to the open seas.

He said when a bus, a car, truck or other vehicles are inspected and found to be substandard and not really roadworthy, do not force or allow them to travel.

Cayetano further said that it is time for the government to learn from tragedies and accidents related to transportation.

The senator added that no amount of money or profit in the transport industry can compensate for the lives that may be lost due to transport accidents. (PIA-NCR)