Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

RECEIVED

Lio 2019

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

10

19
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
BAYAN MUNA Party-List Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE,
Rep. FERDINAND GAITE and Rep. EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. SARAH JANE |. ELAGO

AN ACT
MANDATING A MINIMUM DISTANCE FOR OVERTAKING OF CYCLISTS BY MOTOR VEHICLES,
AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Cycling or biking plays an important role for transportation, recreation, and sports. It
offers a healthy, environmentally friendly mode of transportation for commuters and plays
an integral part in any holistic approach to the problem of traffic congestion in highly
urbanized areas.

However, due to the absence of cycling-friendly infrastructure throughout the
country, cyclists are forced to journey side by side with motor vehicles, exposing them daily
to the risk of serious or fatal accidents. According to the Metro Manila Development
Authority-Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System, involved more than 900
persons—or nearly three cyclsits and other road users per day—were reported to have been
involved in accidents in Metro Manila in in 2015.

One way to protect cyclists and encourage more people to take up cycling, whether
for commuting, exercise, or leisure, is through the enactment of cycling safety laws or
regulations, Other countries have had positive experiences with the introduction of
mandated minimum overtaking distance, encouraging drivers to “stay wider of the rider.”

This bill seeks to make cycling safer throughout the country by mandating a
‘minimum distance of 1.5 meters for overtaking of cyclists by motor vehicles.

This was approved by the House of Representatives on third reading during the 17"
Congress.


Approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Re “ARLOS ISAGi YARATE Rep. FERDINAND GAITE

BAYAN MUNA Party-List BAYAN MUNA Party-List

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Rep. EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT

ep. ARLENE D. BROSAS
BAYAN MUNA Party-List

GABRIELA Women’s Party

JANE |. ELAGO
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1910

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
BAYAN MUNA Party-List Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE,
Rep. FERDINAND GAITE and Rep. EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. SARAH JANE |. ELAG'

AN ACT
MANDATING A MINIMUM DISTANCE FOR OVERTAKING OF CYCLISTS BY MOTOR
VEHICLES, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “The Minimum Overtaking
of Cyclists Distance Act.”

SECTION 2. Minimum Safe Overtaking Distance. - The driver of a motor vehicle
overtaking and passing a bicycle that is travelling in the same direction as the driver
shall maintain a minimum overtaking distance of one and a half meters (1.5m)
between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its cyclist.

SECTION 3. Enforcement and Assistance by Other Agencies. ~The Metro Manila
Development Authority (MMDA), Philippine National Police (PNP), local government
units, and other concerned government agencies and instrumentalities shall be
responsible for the enforcement of the foregoing provisions and shall render such
assistance as may be required by the Department of Transportation-Land
Transportation Office-Land Transportation Office (DOTr-LTO), the lead agency, in
order to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.


SECTION 4. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate Section 2 of this Act shall be
penalized with:

{a) A fine of Five thousand pesos (P5.000.00) for the first offense;
(b) A fine of Ten thousand pesos (PIO.000.00) for the second offense;

(c) A fine of Fifteen thousand pesos (PI5,000.00) and suspension of driver's
license for three (3) months for the third offense; and

(d) A fine of Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) and revocation of driver's
license for the fourth offense:

Provided, That the DOTr-LTO may increase the amount of fine herein imposed
once every five (5) years in the amount not exceeding ten percent (10%) of the existing
rates which shall take effect only upon publication in at least two (2) newspapers of
general circulation.

The foregoing penalties shall be imposed without prejudice to other liabilities
under the Revised Penal Code or any special law, arising out or occasioned by any
violation of Section 2 of this Act.

SECTION 5. Nationwide Public Information Campaign. - The DOTr-LTO, in coordination
with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the Department of Education, the
Department of the Interior and Local Government, MMDA, PNP and private agencies
and organizations shall undertake a nationwide information, education and
communication campaign for a period of six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOTr-LTO shall promulgate the
necessary implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity
of this Act.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is
declared invalid, such declaration shall not affect the other provisions of this Act.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended
accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,