President Duterte ordered that the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) should not be mandatory and the deferment of child car seat law implementation.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said there should be no new charges or additional vehicle registration fees.
According to Roque, the President is just balancing the path of the people in the midst of the ongoing crisis.
Asked why Duterte always had to stop the anti-people policies of government agencies, Roque said the President promised a comfortable life for Filipinos.
“Ang Presidente po kasi ang nangako nang mas komportableng buhay para sa lahat. So tinutupad lang po niya ang pangako niya noong eleksiyon,” he said.
Earlier, the Senate Committee on Public Services, led by Sen. Grace Poe, recommended the suspension of operations by Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVICs) due to various issues.
Senators are also concerned that the inspection program could be the root of corruption.
Under the new MVICs, vehicles applying for registration must pass a stringent 73-point inspection system to be conducted in three stages with the use of state-of-the-art equipment that sends, automatically and in real-time, the results to the Land Transportation Office’s IT (information technology) system.
Duterte defers mandatory MVIS, child car seat law
At the same time, the President also ordered the postponement of the implementation of Republic Act 11229 or Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act also known as child car seat law.
“Nagdesisyon na ang ating Presidente. Ipinagpaliban o deferred ang pagpapatupad o implementasyon ng child car seats,” said Roque.
Under the Child Car Seat Law, kids 12 years old and below are required to be in a child restraint device or a baby seat.
The law also prohibits children to sit in the front seat. However, if the child is 12 years old and above and is 150 centimeters, they could sit in front provided they could be secured properly by the seatbelt.
Any driver found violating this law shall be fined P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P5,000 and the suspension of the driver’s license for one year for the third and succeeding offenses.
Any “manufacturer, distributor, importer, retailer and seller” who violates it may be punished with a fine of P50,000 to P100,000 for “each and every child restraint system manufactured, distributed, imported and/ or sold”.