Bill creating amusement, theme parks body to be approved

MANILA, Philippines - A bill seeking to create a regulatory body for amusement and theme parks is set to be approved on second reading at the Senate.

Senate Bill 3373 that Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, committee on games and amusement chairman, has sponsored, seeks the creation of an Amusement Industry Safety Board (AISB) to strengthen the amusement parks and rides industry.

Pimentel said no single government agency oversees and regulates the operation of amusement parks, and no standards ensure the safe operation and maintenance of rides.

“Although the local government units have the authority to issue permits for amusement parks to operate, LGUs more often than not do not regulate these establishments to ensure that the rides comply with the highest safety standards,” he said.

“In recognition of the urgent need to protect the general public, especially the youth, who patronize these amusement parks despite the risks involved, legislation of the kind that we are introducing here to prevent accidents, at least, by the early identification of unsafe amusement rides is deemed essential to the well-being of the Filipino people.”

The bill that Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Antonio Trillanes IV have  authored seeks to have the AISB as the sole national regulating body on all matters pertaining to amusement rides and devices.

The AISB would ensure the safe operation and maintenance of rides and devices, the safety of riders against direct and indirect hazards in amusement parks and the protection not only of the patrons of those amusement parks but also of the general welfare of their operators and of the amusement industry at large.

It would also be tasked to promulgate national policies, implementing rules and regulations, and safety standards for the effective implementation of this proposed measure, including the adoption of internationally accepted safety standards on amusement parks and rides.

It would also be responsible for the conduct of training and the issuance of accreditation to amusement safety inspectors; coordinating with local governments to investigate accidents or injuries; review orders for summary closure or stoppage of unsafe amusement parks; develop and conduct information dissemination campaigns and safety programs to the public; and exercise other powers and functions as enumerated in the proposed legislation and as may be assigned to it by the President.

An Amusement Industry Safety Standards Advisory Council would assign certain responsibilities to local governments.