Senate President Vicente Sotto III slammed the “uninformed” critics of Republic Act (RA) No. 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, telling them to read up first before “demonizing” the law.

In a privilege speech on Monday, February 8, Sotto defended the law as other senators agreed that its implementation should be postponed – but only because of the additional expense to cash-strapped households during a pandemic.

“If the reason for the postponement is not due to the pandemic, but the law being misinterpreted, that I cannot support,” Sotto said.

“I can only pray that our children and grandchildren do not get hurt because of our misunderstanding of the law. Kaya please, basa muna bago kumontra (So please, read up first before criticizing),” he said.

Sotto cited the experience of other developing countries, saying that Cambodia, El Savador, Laos, and Nigeria, among others, were implementing it well.

“Bakit dito sa atin, hindi na nga naiintindihan ‘yung batas, nagrereklamo pa? (Why is it that here in the Philippines, critics don’t even understand the law yet they keep on complaining?)” a seemingly miffed Sotto said.

The Senate President pointed out that it’s not only the height that should be considered when buying child car seats, but also the weight and age. RA 11229 covers children 12 years old and below, and requires the use of appropriate booster seats or restraint systems, depending on the child’s height, weight, and age.

“In this issue, I wonder who the cerebrally-challenged are? The implementors or those opposing the law on social media?”

The Senate President also took a swipe at critics – especially those on social media – who insist that the law was passed so Chinese manufacturers and importers will gain from its implementation.

“If that is the argument, then do not buy the iPhone because it’s assembled in China.…S ome plasticwares, furniture, houewares, various items sold through Lazada and Shopee, that’s all from China. So that shouldn’t be a reason,” Sotto said.

According to the Department of Transportation, the implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act was only by operation of law. The Land Transportation Office said that there will be no apprehensions, taking into account the situation during the pandemic, and that it will ramp up information campaigns about the issue.

Child safety

Sotto even slammed a news anchor, whom the senator did not name, for citing her height as a reason for buying these special seats. “The law is clear – child. Do you look like a child?” he said.

Sotto dismissed claims that adults who are below 4 feet and 11 inches in height should sit on booster seats, saying that their bones are already developed as compared to a child of the same or less height.

“When you place the seatbelt for a child aged 11 years old, it will fall on the neck of the child without a booster seat. Let’s say a kid aged 5 or 6 years old, and you insist on not putting a restraint system, the seatbelt will fall on its nose. This is why we need those car seats and that is safety.… Even if your child is big for their age, their spine needs to be protected,” Sotto said in a mix of English and Filipino.

In a manifestation, Senator Risa Hontiveros supported Sotto’s defense of the law, saying that “children’s safety should be the highest priority.”

“Kung nakasanayan natin noon na hindi mag-car seat, hindi ibig sabihin hindi na magka-car seat ngayon (If before, we’re used to not using car seats for children, it doesn’t mean we should not use them now,” said Hontiveros.

“As our science allows us to discover new things, we must ensure that our laws keep up and that these laws are clearly spelled out and, if necessary, clarified in the implementing rules and guidelines,” Hontiveros added.

Senator Richard Gordon, meanwhile, pointed out that guidelines by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) bans children from going out of the house. Senator Pia Cayetano said that the government and the media should work together in informing the public about the need for child car seats.

“Perhaps what the government can do is try to subsidize the manufacturer or the importation of such once Congress or the IATF agree that the pandemic has subsided or gone into a controlled level,” said Sotto. – Rappler.com