Instead of apprehending traffic violators, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in the Cordillera region has decided to take a different approach. On Thu, Dec 23, they started rewarding motorists who were wearing their seat belts.
Under the Republic Act 8750 or the Seat Belts Use Act of 1999, failure to use seat belts has a penalty of PHP1,000 to PHP5,000.
“Traffic enforcers flagged down motorists who were wearing seat belts to give them lunch. The motorists, of course, were initially shocked,” reports Mae Cornes on ABS-CBN News Online.
Atty. Jose Eduardo Natividad — regional director of DOTr Cordillera — explained in Filipino: “There are two ways for a person to learn. One is through getting a reward and the other is through punishment. A lot of people think they’re in trouble when they see a traffic enforcer about to flag them down, but we really just want them to learn.”
The report noted: “Motorists praised the initiative which they believe will set an example to violators.”
