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MANILA, Philippines – Transportation officials have agreed to defer full enforcement of the child safety seat law, which requires private drivers to use safety seats for children under the age of 12 to avoid injury in the event of an accident.
“There is still no need to worry about being arrested or fined. We will not penalize or sanction violators for now. We will only remind you about the law while we are still developing public awareness about it, ”said Land Transportation Chief Edgar Galvante at an online press conference on Tuesday, the first day of implementation of Republic Law No. 11229, or Child Safety in the Motor Vehicle Law.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of Land Transportation (LTO) are the main implementing agencies for the new law, which aims to keep children safe while aboard motorized vehicles.
But Goddes Libiran, undersecretary of transport for communications, said the LTO would carry out an information, education and communications campaign for three to six months before strictly enforcing the new law.
“[Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade] He also said that we must consider the current situation, given that we have a pandemic, so no arrests will be made for now, ”Libiran told reporters.
Under the law, the fines for violators are P1,000 for the first offense and P2,000 for the second offense.
The third and subsequent offenses can result in a one-year suspension of the offender’s driver’s license and a fine of P5,000.
The use of deficient child seats is also sanctioned by law.
According to the World Health Organization, the use of child restraints in vehicles can reduce the likelihood of a fatal accident by 70 percent for infants and by 54 to 80 percent for young children.
Only private vehicles
“Road safety deaths can be considered a silent pandemic. Filipinos, especially children who are more fragile, remain vulnerable to traffic accidents, ”said Mark Steven Pastor, assistant transportation secretary for trucking.
Ako Bicol’s representative, Alfredo Garbin Jr., urged DOTr to suspend some provisions of the child safety seat law, as children under the age of 15 cannot get out during the pandemic.
But Pastor said that while DOTr recognizes that children under the age of 15 cannot go out due to the pandemic, “the implementation of RA 11229 is not a DOTr or LTO decision.”
“It came into force by application of the law signed by the president. However, the law is not limited to arresting offenders, ”Pastor said.
RA 11229 was signed by President Duterte on February 22, 2019.
The rules of implementation of the new law were approved on December 23, 2019 and entered into force on February 2, 2021.
Libiran added that the drafting of the rules “underwent a series of public consultations with parents, guardians, and others” and was “the product of multi-stakeholder collaboration.”
However, the law only applies to private motor vehicles.
But Libiran said DOTr would conduct a feasibility study if the same system could be applied to public service vehicles.
Then Congress could address a DOTr recommendation for legislation, Libiran said.
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