Give us freedom to choose seat belts — jeep drivers

Two jeepney groups stood firm in their refusal to comply with Republic Act 8750, or the Seat Belt Law, due to the flaws in its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

The Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) and Philippine Confederation of Drivers Organization – Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (PCDO-ACTO) have instead reiterated the need to revise the IRR to ensure its success.

Romualdo Maranan, FEJODAP president, said that jeepney operators should be allowed to choose their own seat belts.

"The government should not impose the type of seat belts that we have to use so we can choose the cheaper ones. They need not worry because we will also be particular about its quality," he noted.

Maranan warned that such a policy might breed corruption among transport officials who are in connivance with seat belt manufacturers.

"Our income is getting smaller everyday so we should not be made to spend for expensive seat belts. It costs P1,500 to P2,000 to install seat belts on the front seats of jeepneys. We cannot afford them," he added.

For his part, PCDO-ACTO president Efren de Luna said that drivers should also not be penalized if their passengers don’t want to wear seat belts.

"As long as there are installed seat belts and signages requesting passengers to buckle up, violating passengers should be made to face the consequences of their actions," he added.

Under the IRR, drivers face a fine of P250; and P500 and P1,000 plus one-week suspension of driver‘s license for the first, second, and third offenses, if they or their passengers fail to wear the device.

PCDO-ACTO had previously asked the government to implement the law only in the provinces and not in Metro Manila where traffic has become a perennial problem.

But De Luna said since the law has already been passed they will abide by it as long as their concerns are addressed.

"We recognize the reasons why the government came up with this law. We just hope that it takes our side into consideration. All we want is for this law to be smoothly implemented," he added. – Sheila Crisostomo