Six senators on Tuesday urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to defer the implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, which caught many Filipinos by surprise.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 633, Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Joel Villanueva, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian and Grace Poe said the law’s implementation should be deferred “until the necessary guidelines are put in place and agency mandates are fulfilled.”

The senators said they see no urgency in implementing Republic Act No. 11229 since children are prohibited from leaving their homes for non-essential purposes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

They also said they understand  the concerns of Filipino families about the implementation of the measure especially since the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their livelihood and jobs are “still being felt by majority of Filipinos.”

“With decent child car seats costing anywhere from P3,000 to as high as P60,000 each, procuring these could undoubtedly add to the financial burden of motorists,” the senators stated in the explanatory note of the resolution.

“It is only justified that the implementation of this law be deferred not only to allow Filipinos to recover and prepare but also for our government agencies to fulfill what is mandated under the law,” the senators further said.

Villanueva said they recognize the fact that many families are cash-strapped during this time of a pandemic and are struggling to buy computers and securing Internet connection, and obligating them to buy child seats and making them pay the penalty for violating the law would be too much of a burden.

“Wala po tayong nakikitang urgency sa panahon natin ngayon dahil bawal pa po lumabas ang ating mga bata ngayong panahon ng quarantine (We do not see any urgency at this time to implement this law since no child are allowed to go out while we are under quarantine),” Villanueva said.

“ Ang mungkahi po natin sa LTO, pulungin muli ang mga eksperto at pag-aralan ang IRR, na may layuning siguraduhin ang kaligtasan ng ating kabataan nang hindi mabigat sa bulsa ng kanilang magulang, (Our suggestion to the LTO is to ask experts and study the law’s implementing rules and regulations, while ensuring the safety of children without making it difficult for the parents),” he said.

The resolution also stated that the LTO should first sufficiently inform the public about the requirements of the law and to issue guidelines for the certification of child car seats acquired prior to the effectivity of the law.

The senators also noted that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has yet to issue a list of certified car seat brands and models that meet the technical regulations.

They also said the LTO has yet to comply with the establishment and accreditation of fitting stations.

“In consideration of the ongoing pandemic, the financial struggles of many Filipinos, and the government regulations that prohibit children of certain ages from going out, it is only justified that the implementation of this law be deferred not only to allow Filipinos to recover and prepare but also for our government agencies to fulfill what is mandated under the law,” the senators stated.