The risky practice of hanging onto the rear of fully loaded jeeps, known in the vernacular as ‘sabit’, could now be a thing of the past in Manila, with the passage of City Ordinance 9003 or the “Bawal Sabit on Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Ordinance”.
Authored by Manila First District Councilor Martin “Marjun” Isidro, Jr., the ordinance bans the loading of PUVs beyond their designated maximum capacity, and specifically prohibits drivers from allowing passengers to hang precariously on the jeep’s entryway to get a ride.
Passengers, drivers, and conductors found violating the measure shall be fined ₱500 for the first offense, ₱1,500 for the second, and ₱3,000, with a possibility of imprisonment, for the third.
The ordinance, which takes effect 15 days after publication, is seen to help lessen vehicular accidents in Metro Manila. From January to July 2023, the region saw an average of almost 211 road accidents daily, according to data from the Metro Manila Development Authority.
It serves to complement Republic Act No. 4135 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code Law, which prohibits the practice of ‘sabit’ on all types of vehicles in the country.
