A panel in the House of Representatives has scheduled next week a meeting to clarify issues surrounding the implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act.
Samar Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, chair of the House committee on transportation, said his committee will conduct the hearing on Feb. 10 following the suspension of the implementation of Republic Act No. 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.
“I have spoken to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco about it, and he really wants Congress to look into it for public knowledge’s sake,” Sarmiento said.
“I presented to him the issues that go with the subject matter, and he said ‘proceed with the meeting.’ Of course, it has to be guided by the Speaker,” he added.
Sarmiento said among the resource persons to be invited in the hearing are representatives from the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the land transportation sector.
Signed by the President in February 2019, the law disallows children 12 years old and below who are shorter that 4’11” from sitting in the front passenger seat of a private vehicle.
Earlier, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon called for a review of the implementing rules of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act.
Meanwhile, the Vehicle Inspection Center Operators Association of the Philippines on Thursday said the Philippines will remain the “sick man of Asia” in terms of road safety if the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) program is not implemented.
“We are at the bottom in Asia. It’s disheartening we are at the tail-end. Over 12,000 Filipinos tragically lose their lives annually due to road accidents, of which the second leading cause is mechanical failure,” Inigo Lazarabal, president of VICOAP, said in an online briefing.
“This program has been long overdue and finally the government has stepped up. How can we catch up? By starting operations of our PMVICs [Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers] as soon as possible,” he added.
In 2018, the Department of Transportation issued Department Order 019 which sets guidelines for establishing private inspection centers, including standards for financial capacity and track record in vehicle inspection.
The LTO also issued a memorandum circular authorizing MVICs to collect an inspection fee of P1,800 for motor vehicles weighing 4,500 kilograms or less. For motorcycles, the inspection fee amounted to P600.
The government requires PMVICs to have a capitalization of P10 million and at least P50 million investment to put up an inspection center.