LTO, PNP agree to one-month moratorium on helmet law implementation

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA) --- Officials from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Dumaguete City and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the province have agreed to a moratorium on the outright implementation of Republic Act 10054 or the Mandatory Helmet Act of 2009 in the city. 

This came after Gov. Roel Degamo today met with officials from LTO and PNP to request for a one-month postponement on the law’s implementation. 

According to the governor, the LTO and PNP here agreed to a moratorium period from Jan. 19, 2012 to Feb. 19, 2012.

The governor made the request to give local officials time to study RA 10054 and find a way for the law to be implemented in the city. 

“For every rule, there is an exemption,” said Degamo in an interview. 

LTO-Dumaguete and PNP earlier announced in two separate occasions that they are set to implement the law after receiving directives from their higher officers.

Dumaguete City Vice Mayor Alan Gel Cordova, in a separate interview, said he intends to meet with the deans of law colleges in the city and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) here to study the possibility of requesting the court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the helmet law. 

RA 10054 was enacted in 2008 with the aim of securing the safety of motorists, passengers and pedestrians through the mandatory enforcement of the use of standard protective motorcycle helmet. 

Fines for violating the helmet law would are: P1,500 for first offense; P3,000 and a recommendation to revoke the driver’s license for second offense; and revocation of the driver’s license and a fine of P10,000 for the third offense. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)