The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Davao Region (LTFRB-Davao) has ordered stricter inspection of public utility buses following a fire incident that hit a Davao Metro Shuttle Company bus in Mawab, Davao de Oro on June 29, 2026.
Engr. Ronnel Victor N. Panigon, Transportation Development Officer 2, said the Mawab Municipal Police Station reported that smoke was seen coming from underneath the bus, though authorities have yet to determine whether the source was faulty wiring or an engine malfunction. "Nag start sa smoke underneath the bus, wala pa na-determine kung sa wiring ba o sa engine, ongoing pa ang investigation (It started with smoke underneath the bus. It has not yet been determined whether it was the wiring or the engine. The investigation is still ongoing)," Panigon said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps on July 8, 2026, at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.
Bus Carried 62 Passengers; Show-Cause Order Issued
The bus was carrying 62 passengers, including the driver and conductor, at the time of the incident. All passengers evacuated safely. The LTFRB-Davao issued a show-cause order against Davao Metro Shuttle Company on June 30, a day after the incident, and the board's legal officer conducted a hearing on July 2. Panigon said the case is still under evaluation, and the amount of any penalty has not yet been determined. If a violation is confirmed, the first-offense penalty is a 5,000-peso fine, though Panigon noted that more serious findings could lead to harsher sanctions, including the possible cancellation of the company's franchise.
Nine Complaints Filed; Compensation Provided
Panigon said the LTFRB has recorded nine verified complaints from passengers, mostly involving burned personal belongings and psychological trauma. All nine complainants have already received assistance from the bus company, with compensation ranging from P3,000 to P10,000 per person, depending on the extent of their loss. Of the P79,000 set aside by the bus company for compensation, only the nine passengers who came forward and formally requested assistance have been paid so far. Panigon said the company remains open to compensating other affected passengers, provided they can verify they were aboard the bus and can show proof of loss or trauma. However, Panigon clarified that compensation is separate from any LTFRB sanction against the company. Passengers may still receive assistance from the bus company even if no franchise violation is eventually established. "Dili necessarily nga kapag i-compensate nila tong mga passengers is wala nay violations under our office (LTFRB). Naa gihapon kapag naay proof of evidence nga gi-violate nila (It does not necessarily mean that once they have already compensated the passengers, there will be no more violations under our office [LTFRB]. There's still [a sanction] if there is proof of evidence that they violated)," he explained.
Inspection Standards and Vehicle Age Policy
Panigon distinguished the LTFRB's mandate from that of the Land Transportation Office (LTO). While the LTO checks a vehicle's roadworthiness — engines, lights, and brakes — the LTFRB enforces basic in-bus safety standards such as the presence of dashcams, fire extinguishers, and glass breakers. He added that the LTFRB and LTO conducted joint inspections of bus garages and units last year, and that the current directive builds on that existing coordination to ensure compliance moving forward. Separately, the LTFRB-Davao also reminded bus companies about its policy on vehicle useful life. "We are strict with vehicle useful life... 20 years ra jud dapat ang bus (We are strict with vehicle useful life... a bus should really only be [in service for] 20 years)," Panigon said. He added that units with a 2006 model year or older will no longer have their franchise renewed. For taxis, the cutoff is 13 years.
