Navotas would block implementation of child seat law, mayor says
MANILA, Philippines — Navotas City's local government would block the implementation of the child car seat law in the locality, Mayor Toby Tiangco said Thursday.
To recall, the implementation of Republic Act No. 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, which required that children aged 12 and below must be secured in car seats while in private cars, began on Tuesday.
Asked in an interview aired over ANC's "Headstart" if the local chief executive would want to implement the law seriously in Navotas, Tiagnco said: "No way...we won't have anyone arrested for that."
"Even without a car seat, a 4-foot-11 [child] just doesn't fit in our cars. What car seat would a 4-foot-11 child fit in?" the mayor said, adding that in the United States, the rule is only for seven-year-olds at max.
This comes after Land Transportation Office Metro Manila chief Clarence Guinto drew flak on social media for suggesting that families with bigger or taller children should just get bigger cars. He later apologized for the remark, saying he meant it in jest.
READ: No sanctions yet for motorists without child car seat — DOTr
Earlier, both the Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Office said they were of the belief that the full implementation of the child car seat law should first be deferred.
A number of senators have since filed a resolution urging transport officials to postpone the implementation of the law.
The LTO earlier said that violators will have no fines for now and will initially be warned and given information materials about the law. According to the office, issuances of fines and imposition of driver’s license demerit points may be done in three to six months.
"It's the same thing as the face shields [required] from before for bikers or motorists. They said even tricycle drivers or pedicab drivers would have to wear face shields," Tiangco said in mixed Filipino and English.
"We're not going to implement that because it might [put them at bigger risk] of accidents. That's more dangerous," he also said.
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— Franco Luna
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