Duterte signs child safety law
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2019 10:30:19 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act that requires drivers of motor vehicles to secure children below 12 years of age .
Duterte signed Republic Act 11229 on February 22, 2019, but copies were given to members of the media only on Wednesday.
The law requires the use of child restraint system in motor vehicles.
The child restraint system should follow the standards set by the United Nations (UN) Regulations 44 and 129, including evolving standards and other acceptable international standards.
The manufacturers, importers, distributors and sellers of these systems will be required to secure a Philippine Standards mark or the Import Clearance Certificate from the Bureau of Product Standards.
The law also mandates the Department of Transportation (DoTR) to conduct a study and recommend the use of child restraint systems in public utility vehicles within a year.
Drivers who will violate the law will be fined P1,000 fine for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense, P5,000 and the suspension of the driver’s license for a whole year for the third and succeeding offenses.
Any driver who allows the use of substandard or expired child restraint system or permits without the PS mark or ICC sticker will be fined P1,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense and P5,000 and suspension of their driver’s license of a year for the third and succeeding offenses.
The manufacturers, importers, distributors and sellers who will violate their part in the law willl be slapped with a fine not less than P50,000 but not more than P100,000 for each child restraint system they manufactured, imported, distributed and sold, without prejudice to other penalties imposed under the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
Tampering, altering, forging and imitating the PS mark or the ICC stickers will also be fined by not less than P50,000.
The DoTR will craft the implementing rules and regulations of the law in consultation with the Departments of Trade and Industry, Health, Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Council for the Welfare of Children and other concerned agencies and stakeholders.
The law will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in two national newspapers of general circulation. RALPH EDWIN VILLANUEVA
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