Court dismisses transport coalition’s petition, upholds revised PPAI framework

THE Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 180 has kept the validity of the revised framework for Passenger Personal Accident Insurance (PPAI), upholding the accreditation of a third insurance pool.

In its decision dated May 20, the RTC denied the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations’ (ACTO) prayer for a writ of preliminary injunction and status quo ante order, finding that Circular Letter No. 2025-17 does not violate any law, rule, or regulation, the Insurance Commission (IC) said in a press release on Monday.

This came after the IC accredited a third insurance pool on Dec. 1, 2025, under the 2020-2025 PAI program, for the expiration of the 2020-2025 accreditation period. This was managed by Centerstar Management and Insurance Agency, Inc., and led by Milestone Guaranty and Assurance Corp.

“ACTO argued that IC acted with grave abuse of discretion, and contended that the accreditation of more insurance pools undermined economies of scale and weakened existing risk-sharing arrangements,” the IC said.

After the accreditation, ACTO filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition, with prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order, a writ of preliminary injunction, a status quo ante order, and other injunctive relief.

The two other insurance pools that the IC accredited were the SCCI Management and Insurance Agency Corp.-Pioneer Insurance & Surety Corp., and the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency-Cocogen Insurance.

The IC accredited the insurance pools under Circular Letter No. 2025-17 issued Sept. 8, 2025, which revised the PPAI framework and opened accreditation to eligible insurance pools. — Aaron Michael C. Sy