A photo of a traffic supervisor on a highway patrol without a helmet was heavily criticized online as it violates a policy he should be enforcing.
It’s difficult to trace the origin of the photo as it had been shared through sketchy pages on Facebook and Reddit.
No helmet needed, shades lang sapat na. – Traffic Enforcer Supervisor from Philippines
The earliest post that went viral was from a Facebook page Ironman Rider Ph. It was posted on August 31 and made rounds more than 8,000 times.
Another page Kamote Driver Diaries claimed that the photo was taken in Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija.
In the photo, a male motorcycle rider wearing a uniform with “Traffic Supervisor” at the back appeared to be patrolling on the main road without a helmet. The helmet was strapped to the side of the bike.
Filipinos denounced whoever was the member of the traffic personnel on the photo for violating the supposedly strict helmet policy implemented by the local transport agency.
Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10054 or the “Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009” states that:
“All motorcycle riders, including drivers and back riders, shall at all times, wear standard protective motorcycle helmets while driving, whether long or short drives, in any type of road and highway.”
Standard protective helmets are those that complied or passed the specifications issued by the Department of Trade and Industry.
The drivers exempted from the mandatory wearing of helmets are tricycle drivers.
In Section 7, penalties for violators range from a fine of P1,500 for the first offense up to P10,000 plus confiscation of the driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses.
These shall be meted to any person, whether a traffic enforcer or not, if caught plying the road without a helmet on.
This mandatory helmet policy was enacted to protect motorcycle drivers and their passengers from life-threatening accidents or sustaining fatal injuries.
Section 2 states that:
“Towards this end, it shall pursue a more proactive and preventive approach to secure the safety of motorists, their passengers and pedestrians at all times through the mandatory enforcement of the use of standard protective motorcycle helmet.”
So far, there are no updates on whether the traffic enforcer or supervisor in the photo has been reprimanded.
