(Photo courtesy of Fernost/Wikimedia Commons)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The proposed Dash Cam Ordinance that would require for the installation of dashboard camera to heavy trucks, buses, and vans failed to pass the second reading during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City on Tuesday, April 30.
The proposed ordinance lost during the voting of the members of the SP after its deliberation, as it only garnered four affirmative votes from the council members.
During the voting, four council members voted for the negative while nine decided to abstain from participation in the voting.
The other four members of the council were not present during the deliberations and voting.
“The (other councilors) wanted to ask clarifications. This proposed ordinance has been in the agenda for so long but it was not tackled,” said Councilor Maria Belen Acosta, chair of the Committee on Public Safety, the measure’s proponent.
According to Acosta, the proposed local law was queued in the agenda for so long and her committee already conducted several committee hearings with the presence of the Land Transportation Office Davao Region (LTO-XI) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in the area (LTFRB-XI).
“The LTO and LTFRB already answered whatever it is that they want to clarify,” she said.
According to Acosta, she regrets that the law was not enacted considering that the proposed ordinance was requested by Mayor Sara Duterte with the aim to address traffic and public safety concerns in the city.
“I could not really understand because the LTO and the LTFRB already gave their clarifications,” Acosta said, adding that, “This is a request coming from the mayor. She said we needed an ordinance requiring dash cams. She also said if they can afford to buy trucks or they can afford their big business, they can also afford to buy a dashcam.”
According to Acosta, she is yet to confer with the decision of the mayor but she does not close the possibility to file again the ordinance incorporating the suggestions of the other councilors.
“It’s possible (to file again the ordinance) but I hope that the councilors who did not vote will specify because it is not enough that you voice out whatever you voice out but you do not offer an amendment or something to it,” she said.
“Also, they wanted to defer this back to the committee level but this has been in the committee level for the longest time already and they do not attend,” she added.
Meanwhile, according to Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag, the general sentiment of the council is that “the policy is not needed as of now because there are existing policies from the LTFRB requiring the public utility dash cam.”
However, according to Acosta, “there is no redundancy here because the LTFRB has its memorandum circular, while we have a proposed ordinance.”
“There is no conflict with the LTFRB mandate and the Council has the power to make ordinances and the agencies also have the power to issue circulars. In fact, the LGUs are encouraged to make ordinances and resolution for public safety,” Acosta said. (davaotoday.com)
