Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista
MANILA, Philippines — Motorists, who allow children to sit on a moving vehicle’s front passenger seat, now face fines of as much as P3,000 and the suspension of their driver’s licenses in Quezon City.
The ordinance signed on November 27 by Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista fills in sanctions for the prohibition under Republic Act 8750 or the seat belt law, which discourages motorists from allowing infants and children six years old and below from sitting on the front seat of any running motor vehicle.
The city council noted that “despite the existence of an express provision in Republic Act 8750… said the law provides no sanction for violating said prohibition.”
It was further observed that the penalties imposed under the law pertained only to the failure of drivers to wear seatbelts or instruct their passengers to wear the safety device and the failure of vehicle manufacturers to install seatbelts on the vehicles.
The law cited statistics showing that most accidents proved fatal to passengers seated on the front seat of motor vehicles, “Hence, the need to safeguard children from possible accidents that may arise should they be seated on the front seat of moving motor vehicles.”
Under the ordinance, a person who violates the prohibition will be fined P1,000 for a first offense and P2,000 for a second offense. A motorist who violates the prohibition a third time and repeats the violation will be fined P3,000 and faces a week’s suspension of his driver’s license.
The Quezon City department of public order and safety has been tapped to enforce the measure, which takes effect 15 days from the law’s approval and publication.