It will probably resume once the information drive is over
If you’ve been following the tale of the Anti-distracted Driving Law or RA 10913, you already know that it’s a law that’s confusing as heck and has already one law maker looking to suspend its enforcement until the implementing rules and regulations are made clearer and the spirit of the law is actually followed.
Today enforcement of that law has been suspended, as it seems that the government forgot to conduct a nationwide information dissemination campaign before actually enforcing the law.
“To respond to the call of both Houses of Congress to defer the implementation of ADDA, the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Metro Manila Development Authority, and the PNP Highway Patrol Group take heed to the Congress, being the authors of the law, to defer the enforcement of Republic Act 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act,” the DOTr said in a statement on Tuesday, May 23.
This was after the DOTr was called out by the House transportation panel that they should not be implementing the law without conducting an information campaign, as is required by the new law.
“It’s very clear that [the law] requires [an] information and education campaign for a period of 6 months from the effectivity of the act. Since the implementing agencies failed to do that, I think it would be unfair for the public na mahuli nang ‘di nila naiintindihan [‘yung batas] (to be apprehended when they do not fully understand the law yet),” said House transportation committee chairperson and Catanduanes Representative Cesar Sarmiento.
The DOTr will be conducting the information drive as soon as authorities have reviewed and revised the IRR.
