MANILA, Philippines -- Drivers of public utility buses (PUBs) plying city and provincial routes will soon be certified first aiders of their own passengers.

This as a memorandum of agreement (MoA) among the National Council for Commuter Protection (NCCP), Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and PUB groups such as the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines, Metro Bus Operators Association and the Intercity Bus Operators Association is nearing its completion stage.

NCCP president Elvira Medina said that the MoA is inspired by the declaration of 2011 to 2010 as the United Nations’ Decade of Action for Road Safety. Once inked, the MoA aims to equip PUB drivers nationwide with the necessary skill to skillfully respond to their passengers in case of accidents.

Under the MoA, drivers will undergo First Aid training with the PRC and once they are certified first aiders, they will be allowed to wear the Philippine Red Cross ID and patch.

“This way, bus drivers will be perceived not as a life threat to their passengers but a life saver who can give them first aid in case of accidents,” she said.

Aside from instilling the knowledge of First Aid to bus drivers, the MoA, Medina said, also aims to subtly change drivers’ attitude towards the road and their passengers.

“After being trained to save lives through First Aid, we hope these drivers will be concerned of the lives of his passengers, the pedestrians and other motorists around him. If we succeed, this will help us curb incidents of vehicular accidents because we are trying to remedy their attitudinal problems,” she added.

Medina said consultations with concerned parties are done and the MOA will probably be signed this week, with the supervision of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC).