DTI Sorsogon issues mandatory certification of protective helmets and visors

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, July 16, 2012 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sorsogon issues advisory to motorists using motorcycles to secure clearance from them prior to the use of their protective helmets and visors.

DTI Sorsogon Consumer Welfare Desk Officer Evelyn Paguio said that in compliance with the Department of Transportation and Telecommunications (DOTC) and the DTI Joint Administrative Order (AO) No. 01 series of 2012, all users of helmets and visors shall secure clearance from DTI prior to their use of said protective paraphernalia to ensure safety of all drivers and passengers of motorcycles.

She further said that the AO requires that all protective helmets and visors must comply with the specifications prescribed by the DTI and which bear the Philippines Standard (PS) mark or the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) of the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS).

Paguio calls on the users of helmets and visors to secure clearance at once saying that DTI Sorsogon Provincial Office is now accepting applicants for certification.

Said AO on motorcycle requirement is pursuant to section 6 of Republic Act No. 10054 or the “Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009” which provides rules and regulations for the manufacturing, selling or dealing of protective helmets.

RA 10054 requires the use of standard protective motorcycle helmets by all motorcycle drivers and back riders in any type of roads and highways in the country giving exemptions to those driving tricycles.

RA 10054 punishes violations such as: Driving without wearing any helmet or without the standard protective motorcycle helmet and/or failing to require back rider(s) to wear standard protective motorcycle helmet; Selling and/or dealing of a new motorcycle unit without making available a new standard protective motorcycle helmet to the buyer; Selling, dealing or distributing of substandard motorcycle helmets or those which do not bear the PS or the ICC marks; and Tampering, altering, forging and imitating by a seller or dealer of the PS and the ICC marks in the helmets.

DTI Sorsogon shows optimism that all concerned will comply with the said requirement for their own safety. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)