Helmet law benefits criminals – Rama

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama supports the stand of the City Traffic Operations Management ( CITOM) to defer the implementation of the new helmet law that requires motorcycle drivers to use only helmets approved by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Rama said while he agrees that all motorcycle drivers and riders should wear crash helmets, the government should not require the closed-type or full-faced helmet that hides the face of the person wearing it.

The mayor said the provisions of Republic Act 10054 or the Act Mandating All Motorcycle Riders to Wear Standard Protective Motorcycle Helmets While Driving benefit criminals as they could no longer be identified with full- faced helmets.

Rama is also against the provision requiring motocycle riders to secure stickers from DTI as proof that their helmets passed the standard.

Rama said the fees of P100 for registration and another P125 for the sticker are too much for the public considering that the standard helmet is already expensive.

The standard helmets are determined through the Import Commodity Clearance and Product Standard stickers, which will be placed on the helmet.

The cheapest motorcycle crash helmet that will pass the standard set by DTI costs P1,500 but while others cost as much as P10,000.

Drivers of motorcycle forhire drivers or habalhabal are complaining because they cannot afford to buy these kind of helmets considering their meager income. Rama said he supports

the law requiring motorcycle riders to wear crash helmets as it was his father, former City Councilor Fernando Rama, who authored the first helmet ordinance of Cebu City that was enacted on Dec. 19, 1977.

CITOM chairman Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem said it was decided during their board meeting not to encourage their traffic enforcers to enforce the new helmet law as they are undermanned and too busy managing traffic.

Land Transportation Office (LTO)-7 Regional Director Raul Aguilos said they cannot do anything but enforce the law even if CITOM will not assist them.

Those apprehended for violating the new helmet law will face P1,500 for the first violation and higher fines for the succeeding infractions.

The law that was enacted in 2009 yet aims to provide safety measures to the motorcycle riders through mandatory enforcement of the use of standard protective motorcycle helmet. –