THE Mandaue City government will implement the the Helmet Act as soon as the Land Transportation Office gives its go-signal next month.
Edwin Ermac, chief of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM), said that as deputized agents of LTO and as law enforcers, they are bound to follow the law.
But Ermac said Mandaue traffic enforcers will not not immediately make arrests.
They will first warn motorcycle riders who are not wearing the prescribed full-face helmets with corresponding ICC and PS stickers.
“But if the LTO has an extension until December 31 for motorists to get their stickers, that’s much better,” Ermac said.
The Cebu and Lapu-Lapu city governments earlier said they would not strictly implement the new law, and would leave it to LTO.
They are seeking an extension to give time for the riding public to replace their helmets or get their head gear validated and issued quality control stickers by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) office in Cebu.
Ermac agreed with critics that confusion still existed about the law.
“I’ve seen many unused ICC stickers from the DTI being carried by motorists. I’m confused why they don’t stick them on the helmets,” Ermac said in Cebuano.
Republic Act 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet Act penalizes any motorbike rider not wearing a standard protective full-face crash helmet.
Fines are P1,500 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, P5,000for the third offense, and P10,000 plus confiscation of the driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses./Correspondents Fe Marie D. Dumaboc and Norman V. Mendoza