CITOM’s Unreasonable Reasons Against Motorcycle Helmet Act Enforcement

When was the last time CITOM (Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management) became a champion for the causes of the poor? CITOM has been unpopularly known among the motorists for its strict implementation of the traffic laws.

CITOM has been notorious for its campaign against jay walkers in Colon area where even students are apprehended, detained (in a holding bus for hours) and some allowed to pay the fine officially and “unofficially” just to evade detention.

CITOM is not known for favoring the poor or the rich motorists in a traffic violation. So, it is surprising that CITOM stood-up against the implementation of the Mandatory Helmet Act of 2010 (RA10054) calling it as anti-poor.

In a resolution, the CITOM board asks Transportation and Communication Sec. Manuel Roxas II and Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo “to put the implementation of the law on hold”. CITOM earlier announced it will not implement the Helmet Act.

CITOM says most motorcycle owners belonged to the lower income group though the latter are able to buy a motorcycle unit worth thousands of pesos and are willing to spend few hundreds for the gasoline. Moreover, CITOM said the P101.25 fees for the processing and issuance of sticker for the helmet is too stiff.

The CITOM resolution reads:

“The reasonableness of the imposition of the P101.25 fee is questionable considering that most of those who are using motorcycles as a main mode of transportation generally belong to the low to mid-income earners, plus their valuable time is needlessly consumed in their application processing and inspection of their helmets,”

I could not fathom CITOM’s above arguments when they even forcibly collecting P50 fine from the poorer students whom I pitied with for violating the Anti-Jay Walking Ordinance.

CITOM also question the authority of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for collecting the P101.25 fee because it is not a provision under RA 10054. I agree that the amount is too big for a regulatory fee. It should have been lower proportionate to the actual cost in the processing of the helmet and the actual-cost of the sticker.

But CITOM is not the appropriate complainant as regards to the P101.25 administrative fees from a similar government agency. It’s the works of politicians and other consumer groups to raise the issue. Do we have politicians inside CITOM? Ask Jack-the-Wack.

CITOM, finally noted that only 7,000 plus of the 321,560 registered motorcycles in Central Visayas have been issued with the helmet stickers. This can be rendered moot-and-academic as the DTI has already extended the processing until December 31, 2012 while the LTO has likewise agree to give grace period until the end of the year to those motorcycle owners who shall wear the prescribed helmet but no ICC/PS stickers yet come August 1.

So, what else CITOM has to offer in their championing the cause-of-the-poor when these are already addressed by DTI and LTO? Why CITOM will not implement a traffic law for the first time? If the “Safety Belt Act” is strictly enforced (for the poor drivers only) for the safety of any vehicle drivers, why not the motorcycle helmet law?

Simply, someone in CITOM plays politics (pagpahumot ngadto sa publiko sa pagtoo nga modaog pa sa eleksiyon sa 2013). 😦

 

UPDATE!!! DTI to Waive Fees for Motorcycle Helmet Processing