Effectiveness of RA 10666

The State, exercising its power of parens patriae, may step into the shoes of
natural parents to safeguard any child or incapacitated and dependent person or a
physically challenged individual in need of protection against danger, risk of their
lives and limbs.
Taking a child for a motorcycle ride can be a scary proposition. Recent
incidents have occured where children were severely injured while riding on a
motorcycle. This is because, unlike adults, children lack the development skills to
pay attention and properly secure themselves while riding motorcycle.
It's a known fact that kids are more excitable and have the tendency to move
more than an adult passenger. They may even play games by sticking their hands
out in the wind while riding a motorcycle. Moreover, they generally want to talk and
move more than an adult passenger.
Likewise, the steady rumble of the motor can have a tendency to full
passengers to sleep. With adults, this usually does not present much of a problem
since it would be harder for them to fall off. But with children, it is a completely
different situation. Because of their size, there is generally more room for them
between the rider and the sissy bar and if they fall asleep, there is a greater chance
for them to flop over to one side of another. When this happens, there is an increase
chance for children to fall off the motorcycle.
The above cited paragraphs were taken from the explanatory note of House
Bill No. 541 which was introduced by House Representative Lani Mercado Revilla.
In the Senate's counter part of the bill, Senator Vicente Sotto III introduced
and sponsored this bill.
The legislature in the passage of this law, intends to protect children from
danger in riding motorcyles due to the fact that children are extremely vulnerable
and at risk when riding a motorcycle.
However, as of today, though how good and protective the law is, most of the
people hardly cant follow and obey as such. There are still people who violate the
said law.
The implementation and enforcement of the law depends upon each different
location. In big cities like Metro Manila, Cebu or Davao, there is a strict
implementation on this law, but if we go to provinces and other rural areas, we can
see that there still remain children aboard on a motorcycle even if already
prohibited by the state, because there are no authorities who check and sees them.
The regional director of the Land Transportation Office-7 believes it would be
easy to implement the newly signed law which prohibits children from riding
motorcycles.LTO-7 regional director Arnel Tancinco said RA 10666 is easily
enforceable because it only requires physical capability and not age. 1

(http://www.philstar.com//motorcycle-law-kids-lto-7-sees-noSeptember
16, 2015
However on the other side, the Land Transportation Office admitted that it
would be difficult to fully enforce the newly enacted law due to an utter lack of
manpower.LTO spokesman Jason Salvador told GMA News that the agency only has
little over 500 active personnel enforcing road rules in the whole country. 2

(http://www.msn.com//lto-not-enough-aides-to-enf/ar-BBlscRA
2015)

September

16,

PROS AND CONS OF RA 10666

PROS:
-

The children aboard on a motorcycle are protected from possible danger due to
the enactment of this law.
This will result to a decrease in motor vehicle accident involving children.
Reduce the rate of motor vehicle accidents in the streets as per survey
According to the WHO study; an estimated 3,500 people worldwide are killed
daily due to vehicular accidents, 720 of whom are children. Let me emphasize,
720 children die due to vehicular accidents every day. 3

CONS:
Mostly the following reasons can be considered as cons to the new law, as a whole,
the curtailment of the enjoyment of fun riding of motorcycles experience by children
for which reason parents allows their children to ride on a motorcycle especially in
the province areas.
-

The cool factor. Riding a hog might help you turn more heads and give you
street cred.

Saves money. Motorcycles tend to get better gas mileage than most cars, so
youll save at the pump. Also, motorcycles often cost less money to maintain
and service. Motorcycle insurance sometimes costs less than car insurance, too.
You might find numerous ways to save when you ride a bike.

Saves space. Parking is a breeze with a bike. Your vehicle will ease into spots
that cars cant fit into.

Easier to clean. With less space to manage, you can clean a motorcycle more
quickly than a full-sized car.

Less fuel emissions. Motorcycles tend to be more fuel efficient than most
standard cars. If you want to decrease your carbon footprint, motorcycling might
help.

Resale value. Bikes often retain their resale value more than cars because they
tend to not rack up as many miles as cars do.

Joy rides! Most bikers will tell you that riding a motorcycle is just plain fun.

http://www.journal.com.ph/news/nation/bill-on-kids-riding-motorbikes-green-lighted

September 22, 2015

4
http://www.dmv.org/articles/the-pros-and-cons-of-motorcycle-ownership/ September
22, 2015