DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Traffic enforcers here will still apprehend drivers using cellular phones while on the road because of an existing ordinance signed by then mayor Rodrigo Duterte. This despite the suspension of the Anti-Distracted Driving Act, or the Repubic Act 10913 on Tuesday, merely five days after it was implemented.
The ordinance no. 0143-05 series of 2005 prohibits the use of all electronic devices while driving. Effectively, this covers the intention of RA 10913, which prohibits the use of cellphones.
In an interview with Land Transportation Office XI Assistant Regional Director Neil Canedo on Thursday, the suspension of RA 10913 will not affect Davao City, because of the said memorandum.
“In fact, when the central office informed us to implement [RA 10913], I told my people to use the city ordinance since the law is not yet in our [computer] system. Should we choose to apprehend, we use the city ordinance,” he said.
Canedo said they classify the use of electronic gadgets while driving as “reckless driving” which incurs a penalty of P 2,000 for the first penalty, P 3,000 for the second, and P 10,000 for the third.
If our traffic enforcer sees it personally, he/she will write a note saying “using cellphone while driving” and then tick the box indicating reckless driving,” he said.
The problem lies in other cities who do not have the same ordinances.
The Anti-Distracted Driving Act is up for review for three months after it drew backlash from the public after it disallowed accessories, figurines, gadgets used for navigation, even rosaries on the dashboard and rear view mirrors of motor vehicles, apart from prohibiting the use of cellular phones while on the road.
The Department of Transportation suggested to put navigational equipment below the driver’s line of sight.
However, Senator JV Ejercito, in a televised reports argued that it was better to put these devices within the line of sight instead of putting it down where drivers are forced to take their eyes off the road altogether for a longer time.
“It would take one or two seconds for you to look down, so when you look back at the road, that might be more dangerous. But if it is within the line of sight, you will just glance at it from time to time. Just a split second and your attention or focus will be back on the road,” Ejercito said in CNN’s Balitaan.
Canedo said the implementing rules and regulations of the law will be revisited after motorists complained that the its prohibitions were “overkill.”
Transportation
