Church leader opposes Anti-Distracted Driving Law’s ban on religious items
A Roman Catholic Church leader agrees with the ban on the use of mobile phones ands other gadgets while driving, but opposed to the prohibition on the display of rosaries and religious items on dashboards as the giovernment started impkementing the provisions of the Anti-Distracted Driving Law.
Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Public Affairs Committee, said he is opposed to the ban since it is not the rosaries that cause road mishaps.
“The LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board) is absolutely missing the point by prohibiting the display of small religious images in cars,” he said.
“It’s not the rosaries that cause accidents, but foremost among them are mechanincal problems and the drivers’ ignorance and abusive behavior on the road,” added Secillano.
The CBCP official believes the agency is focusing on the small details instead of the more pressing issues.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulator Board (LTFRB) said will come out with a memorandum circular for all public utility vehicle drivers (PUVs) to free their line of sight of accessories, including sacred items and signage.
LTFRB Spokesperson Aileen Lizada said displaying “defective, improper or unauthorized accessories” is covered by Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01.
Under JAO, accessories, devices and equipment such as stuff toys, figurines, etc. blocking the field of view of the driver is prohibited. Violators have to pay 15,000 fine.
“We are not saying that sacred symbols are prohibited. Just put it near you, not on areas that can hinder the view of the road,” said Lizada while at the Metrobase Command Center of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Lizada acknowledged that motorists and drivers were confused with the implementation of the Anti-Distracted Driving Act (ADDA) that covers only electronic gadgets and other mobile gadgets.
She said jeepneys and passenger buses should also not place route signages on their windshields but on the side of the vehicle. The LTFRB is also coordinating with Alberto Suansing of Secretary General, Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership on where to put the signboards.
“There should only be one signboard,” said Lizada.
Secillano said: “The agency is focusing on these small details but have not acted on the more pressing and more serious threats,” Secillano said.
He said among the issues that the agency should address are banning very old cars in the streets, disciplining abusive drivers, making car operators accountable for accidents, and wiping out colorum public utility vehicles (PUVs).
Some netizens who probed the 25-page Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 posted on the LTFRB website on Dec. 8, 2016 also disputed Lizada’s claim that the order had banned rosaries hanging under rear-view mirrors.