By Alma L. Tingcang
PAGADIAN CITY, October 1 (PIA) – In a bid to speed up registration of motorcycle helmets, the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently called for a press conference for
the purpose.
DTI Provincial Director Ma. Socorro M.
Atay gave a brief presentation on Republic Act 10054 or the Helmet Law which
was made effective on March 23, 2010. She said prior to the Helmet Law, there
was RA 4136 also authored by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla mandating the use of
helmets while riding a motorcycle anywhere throughout the country.
“In support to that, RA 10054 mandates
the use of standard motorcycle helmets bearing PS and ICC marks of the Bureau
of Product Standards (BPS),” Atay explained. In view of this, any seller/dealer found
selling motorcycle helmets without the PS or ICC mark shall be punished with a
fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P20,000.
Atay said DTI is very strict with the
standards because, “if any accident happens, most of the time the only thing
that can save your life is a helmet which is not substandard, because if it is,
there is no guarantee that your head will be protected from a fall.”
Application for registration of helmets with DTI is free,
according to Ms. Atay.
Further, backriders are also required to wear standard
protective motorcycle helmets at all times whether travelling long or short
distances. She said however, that tricycle drivers are exempted from complying
with RA 10054.
Meanwhile, per data gathered from Mr.
Noel Villanueva, Officer-In-Charge of the Land Transportation Office, there are
more or less 20,000 motorcycle units registered at LTO in Zamboanga del Sur
with an average increase of 3% every year.
Administrative sanctions of the Act include, among others: any
person caught not wearing the standard protective motorcycle helmet shall be punished with a fine of P1,500 for the first offense; P3,000 for the
second offense; P5,000 for the 3rd offense and P10,000 plus confiscation
of driver’s license for the 4th and succeeding offenses.
