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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
PROTECTING UNATTENDED CHILDREN 
IN MOTOR VEHICLES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In the past years, the number of deaths arising from suffocation in 
cars has been increasing. In the United States, around 682 children died 
from 1998 to 2019, after their parents left them unattended inside a motor 
vehicle. 1  In the Philippines, 10 children have reportedly died from 
suffocation inside motor vehicles in 2017. In the first quarter of 2019, three 
young girls were found dead after accidentally locking themselves in a car 
where they suffocated.2 
Thus, there is a need to educate our citizens regarding the safety 
and health risks of leaving children inside motor vehicles, especially in 
periods of extreme weather conditions. According to the Spanish 
Association of Pediatrics3 (Asociación Española de Pediatría), children 
aged zero to five years old are most likely to incur a rise in body 
temperature three to five times faster than that of adults due to a lower 
1 Andrews, Travis M. The Washington Post, Two more children died over the weekend in hot cars. That’s 682 since 1998. It isn’t 
getting better. July 25, 2016, accessible at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/25/two-children-
died-over-the-weekend-in-hot-cars-thats-682-since-1998-it-isnt-getting-better/ (last accessed July 13, 2022). 
2 Pleasance, Chris. Daily Mail, Three child cousins are found dead after accidentally locking themselves in a car in 35C heat for four 
hours in the Philippines, May 17, 2019, Online, accessible at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7040565/Three-child-
cousins-die-getting-locked-car-35C-heat-Philippines.html (last accessed July 13, 2022). 
3  Associacion Espanola de Pediatria, Children Inside Cars and Heat Stroke in Children. May 2016, accessible at 
https://www.aeped.es/sites/default/files/dossier_golpe_de_calor_en.pdf (last accessed July 13, 2022). 
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water reserve and a developing respiratory system.  Moreover, a study 
found that a motor vehicle left for an hour in the sun may heat up to 116 
degrees, a temperature that may cause organ failure, brain damage and 
death to toddlers.  
This bill seeks to prevent the occurrence of death of, or injury to, 
unsupervised children under nine years old inside motor vehicles, when 
there are conditions that present a significant risk to the child’s health and 
safety, or when the vehicle’s engine is running or the vehicle’s keys are in 
the ignition, or both. Any person who violates the provision of this Act will 
be penalized with a fine ranging from Ten Thousand Pesos 
(Php10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) depending on 
the frequency of violation committed by the offender. This bill also requires 
all violators of the Act to undergo driver education seminars with the Land 
Transportation Office (LTO), which shall include education on the dangers 
of leaving young children unattended in motor vehicles. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
PROTECTING UNATTENDED CHILDREN 
IN MOTOR VEHICLES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
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Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the 
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“Unattended Child in Motor Vehicles Act.” 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby the policy of the State 
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to defend the right of children to assistance, including proper care and 
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nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, 
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exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development. To this 
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end, the State shall adopt a more proactive and preventive approach to 
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secure the safety of passengers, especially children, by regulating the 
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operation of vehicle and penalizing persons who leave children 
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unattended inside a motor vehicle. The State shall also inculcate the 
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standards of safe use of motor vehicles and the benefits that may be 
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derived from it through institutional programs and appropriate public 
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information strategies. 
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SEC. 3. Unattended Child in Motor Vehicles. – It shall be unlawful 
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for a person to intentionally, recklessly, knowingly or negligently cause or 
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permit to leave a child under nine (9) years of age inside a motor vehicle 
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without being subject to the supervision of a person who is fifteen (15) 
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years old or above, under any of the following circumstances:  
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a) 
When there are conditions that present a significant risk to the 
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child’s health or safety; or 
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b) 
When the vehicle’s engine is running or the vehicle’s keys are 
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in the ignition, or both. 
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For the purposes of this Act, the term “motor vehicle” refers to 
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any land transportation vehicle propelled by any power other 
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than muscular power, excluding tricycle, motorcycle and 
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jeepney. 
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SEC. 4. Penalty. – Any person who violates the provisions of this 
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Act shall be liable for an administrative fine in the amount of Ten Thousand 
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Pesos (Php10,000.00) for the first offense; Twenty Thousand Pesos 
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(Php20,000.00) for the second offense; and Fifty Thousand Pesos 
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(Php50,000.00) for the third and succeeding offenses. 
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If, as a result of such violation, less serious or serious injuries result, 
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the offender shall additionally be punished with a penalty of imprisonment 
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of one (1) year. If death occurs as a result thereof, a penalty of 
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imprisonment ranging from two (2) years to six (6) years shall be 
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additionally imposed on the offender.  
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Nothing herein shall preclude the filing of charges for violation of Act 
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No. 3815, otherwise known as “The Revised Penal Code of the 
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Philippines,” as amended, and other special laws.  
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All persons in violation of this Act shall also be required to undergo 
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driver education seminars with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), 
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which shall include education on the dangers of leaving young children 
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unattended in motor vehicles.  
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SEC. 5. Lead Agency. – The LTO shall take the lead in 
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implementing the provisions of this Act. It shall have the authority to 
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deputize members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the 
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Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), other metropolitan 
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councils, and the responsible officer of local government units (LGUs) to 
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enforce the provisions of this Act.  
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The LTO shall also be empowered to adjust the amount of fines 
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herein imposed: Provided, That: 
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a) 
The adjustment shall be made only once every three (3) years, 
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and after public consultation;  
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b) 
The amount of adjustment shall not exceed twenty percent 
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(20%) of the amount sought to be adjusted; 
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c) 
A thorough study shall have been conducted indicating that the 
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existing amounts are no longer an effective deterrent; and 
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d) 
Current relevant economic indices, such as the Consumer Price 
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Index (CPI), have been considered in the determination of the 
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adjusted amount. 
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SEC 6. Public Information Campaign. – The LTO, in coordination 
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with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the Department of Education 
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(DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), and other relevant stakeholders, 
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shall regularly undertake a nationwide information and education 
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campaign regarding the provisions of this Act.  
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SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) 
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days after the effectivity of this Act, the LTO, in coordination with the 
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Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Interior and Local 
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Government (DILG) and other relevant government agencies, and in 
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consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall issue the implementing rules 
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and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.  
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SEC 8.  Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section or 
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provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions 
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hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
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effect. 
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SEC 9. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, or rules and 
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regulations, which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of 
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this Act, are hereby amended or repealed. 
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SEC 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers 
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of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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