Filipino parents should be aware that starting tomorrow, kids aged 12 and below who are traveling inside vehicles should be seated on car seats or child restraint systems (CRS).
This is part of the implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, which also prohibits children from sitting on a car’s front seat if they are shorter than 4’11.
The new law has gotten parents confused, with a few pointing out that some children might find it uncomfortable to sit on a CRS because of their size. This concern was echoed by host Amy Perez on Teleradyo, who told Land Transportation Office Director Clarence Guinto that some children aged 12 are already too tall for car seats. The LTO is mandated to implement the new law.
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“Maybe ma’am you should get a bigger vehicle…Don’t worry, we will take note of that,” Guinto said.
Guinto’s interview has gotten viral on Twitter, where many Filipinos expressed their displeasure. Actor Kiko Rustia tweeted, “This is what we wake up to on a Monday. This administration is so bright; they are all over the place.”
This is what we wake up to on a Monday 🤦🏼♂️
Napaka bright talaga ng admin na to, nagkalat talaga sila.
— kiko rustia (@kikorustia) February 1, 2021
“Damn. So early in the morning. It’s a Monday. Why did they base [the law] on the child’s age? It should have been based on the child’s height. Anyway, there’s a seatbelt [that they can use],” user @SidManila wrote.
Bwahaha!!! Nampucha naman. Ang aga-aga. Lunes na lunes. Bakit sa edad binase. Dapat sa height ng bata. May seatbelt naman pati. Kamote talaga.
— Prof. SID 🏳️🌈 (@SidManila) February 1, 2021
What do you think of the new law? Tell us by leaving a comment below or tweeting to @CoconutsManila.
