SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
15 .II. 28 P 3 :32 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2871 
RECEIVE.) Uy:-t 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING THE MANDATORY COMPLIANCE BY MOTORISTS OF PRIVATE 
AND PUBLIC VEHICLES TO APPROPRIATELY RESTRAIN ALL CHILD 
PASSENGERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The safety of children is a primary consideration during road travel. Regardless 
of the type of vehicle and the distance of the trip, every child should always be 
kept and positioned safely inside the vehicles by using safety devices or 
installations. 
This measure mandates drivers of all private and public vehicles to appropriately 
restrain child passengers inside the vehicle during travel. It was filed by Senator 
Manny Villar during the Fifteenth Congress but was not passed into law. Along 
with some other minor revisions, this Representation deemed it proper to include 
drivers of school services such as, but not limited to tricycles, jeeps, vans and 
buses transporting child passengers to be included among those mandated to 
restrain children inside a running vehicle. They may use various child restraint 
products such as car seats or booster seats and other products with lap and 
shoulder belt assembly. 
For the safety of our children, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
GOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2 8 7 1 
RECEIVED HY:-f' 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING THE MANDATORY COMPLIANCE BY MOTORISTS OF PRIVATE 
AND PUBLIC VEHICLES TO APPROPRIATELY RESTRAIN ALL CHILD 
PASSENGERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
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to secure and safeguard its citizenry, particularly the passengers and drivers of 
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private and public motor vehicles, from the ruinous and extremely injurious 
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effects of vehicular accidents, Towards this end, the State shall pursue a more 
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proactive and preventive approach in order to secure the safety of the 
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passengers and drivers at all times by making mandatory that all child 
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passengers of motor vehicles be appropriately restrained in order to reduce the 
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incidence of injuries and fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the 
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streets, roads, and highways. 
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SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the term: 
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(a) "Motorist" shall refer to the driver of a motor vehicle; 
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(b) "Motor vehicle" shall refer to both private and public motor vehicle; 
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(c) "Private motor vehicle" shall refer to any of the following: 
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(1) Any motor vehicle owned by individuals and juridical persons for 
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private use; 
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(2) Any motor vehicle owned by the National Government or any of its 
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agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, including 
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government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries for 
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official use; and, 
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(3) Any diplomatic use. 
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(d) "Public motor vehicle" shall refer to public utility vehicle or vehicle for hire; 
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(e) "Child restraint" means any product designed to provide restraint to a child 
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(including booster seats and other products used with a lap and shoulder 
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belt assembly) that meets applicable motor vehicle safety standards 
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prescribed by the Land Transportation Office; 
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(f) "Child passenger" means infant and/or child ages six (6) years and below. 
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SEC. 3. Mandatory Restraint of Child Passenger. - For the safety of the child 
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passengers, the driver of a public or private motor vehicle is required to restrain 
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child passengers while inside a running vehicle on any road or thoroughfare. 
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For private vehicles, including school services such as, but not limited to 
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tricycles, jeeps, vans and buses, transporting child passengers as defined in this 
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Act, the driver must at all times restrain child passengers while inside a running 
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vehicle. 
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In the case of public motor vehicles, the driver shall be required to immediately 
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inform and require the adult accompanying the child passengers upon boarding a 
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vehicle to restrain the child passenger. Any passenger who refuses to restrain 
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the child passenger shall not be allowed to continue his/her trip. 
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Operational motor vehicles, both public and private, which are not equipped with 
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the required child restraints, are given one (1) year from the issuance of the IRR 
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by the Land Transportation Office (L TO) to retrofit appropriate child restraint in 
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their vehicles. 
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SEC. 4. Coverage. - This Act, in the interest of public safety, shall apply to 
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drivers of public and private motor vehicles and other vehicles as may be 
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determined by the IRR thereon. 
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SEC. 5. Period of Implementation. - The L TO shall be the agency primarily 
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responsible in the enforcement and implementation of this Act. Within sixty (60) 
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days from the effectivity of this Act, the L TO shall formulate and issue the 
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necessary implementing rules, regulations and guidelines and shall mobilize 
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available resources to assure the effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. Penalties and Fines. - In the enforcement of this Act, the L TO shall 
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impose fines against drivers for violation of this Act. 
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The following shall be the basis in defining fine and penalty provisions of the IRR 
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to be promulgated, provided that six (6) months grace period shall be allowed to 
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lapse to conduct a nationwide information campaign. 
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For failure to restrain a child occupant, a minimum fine of One Hundred Pesos 
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(P100.00) but not to exceed One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00) for the first 
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violation; a minimum fine of Two Hundred Pesos (P200.00) but not to exceed 
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Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00) for the second Violation; and a minimum fine 
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of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) but not to exceed Five Thousand Pesos 
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(P5,000.00) and suspension of driver's license for a period of one (1) week for 
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the third and succeeding violations. 
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SEC. 7. Nationwide Public Information Campaign. - (a) The L TO, in coordination 
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with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the Department of Education 
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(OepEd), and private agencies and organizations. shall undertake a regular 
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\., 
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nationwide Information, Education and Communication (/EC) campaign for the 
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attainment of the objectives of this Act. The campaign shall emphasize the 
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safety and health value of restraining child, using hands-free device while 
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engaging in a phone call while driving, and similar safety measures to support 
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the most effective enforcement of this Act. 
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(b) The L TO, in coordination with the local government units, shall likewise utilize 
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the services of citizen groups and community organizations for the promotion of 
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public safety awareness on observance of this Act. 
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(c) The fines that will be collected for the enforcement of this Act shall be used 
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exclusively for the implementation of the provisions of this Act, including the 
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necessary promotion campaigns for the use of hands-free devices. 
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SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
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declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby 
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shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree, executive order, or 
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issuance, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act is hereby repealed or 
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modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers 
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of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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