Implementation of car child seat law deferred, MVIS no longer mandatory
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to defer the implementation of the car child seat law, Malacañang announced Thursday, adding that the much criticized motor vehicle inspection system would no longer be mandatory.
“This was the decision of the president wherein he balanced what our countrymen are experiencing in the middle of this crisis faced not just by the Philippines, but the whole world,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.
Roque did not say until when the deferment would take effect.
But Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez pointed out that another law is needed to suspend the implementation of the car child seat law.
“It’s Congress that passed the law requiring child car seats, and it’s Congress that can suspend its implementation,” Rodriguez said.
Previously, Duterte had also ordered the suspension of the scheduled increase in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. premiums, even if the law which provided for the hike did not have a provision to postpone it.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, a former longtime aide of Duterte who has maintained his closeness to the president, has said that the chief executive does not want to implement the law for now, citing the difficulties faced by Filipinos during the pandemic.
The law, which requires children up to age 12 and shorter than 4’11” to use car seats, was supposed to take effect last week, but the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Office agreed to defer its implementation following calls from senators to postpone its enforcement citing the lack of guidelines and the financial strain it may cause to the public.
Had it been implemented, violators would have faced a fine of up to P5,000 and suspension of their driver’s license. — Xave Gregorio
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