Root causes of traffic jams and

congestion
 Natural population growth
 Increase car ownership
FEB 21 2010 Las Pinas City Rep. Mark Villar has
proposed the enactment of “lemon law” to
protect buyers of defective motor vehicles.
He said his Bill 1966 would strengthen consumer
protection in the purchase of brand new
vehicles and provide for legal remedies to
buyers of substandard units. He said his
proposal is patterned after American state laws
that provide a remedy for purchasers of cars
that repeatedly fail to meet standards of quality
and performance.”
” If my car is repaired four or more times for the
same defect within the warranty period and the
defect has not been fixed, it should be
classified as a lemon”, he said.
“I believe it is appropriate to recommend the
passage of a law that would give ample
protection to buyers who continue to be
burdened retaining the lemon vehicle and
paying the expensive repair cost without
equitable redress for their unlucky fate,” he
stressed.
Feb 16,2011 passage of bill criminalizing use of cell phones
while driving sought.
Tarlac 2nd district Rep. Susan Yap sponsored House Bill 318
imposes P3,000 to P10,000 or imprisonment of not more
than one year for violators. Citing a report of the
Philippines Global Road Safety Partnership and the PNP,
she said accidents caused by the use of mobile phones
rose 601% to 491 in 2009 from 70 cases in 2008.Tollways
Management Corp.-corporate communications manager
Benigno Valles said 70 % of car accidents in the NLEX
were caused by driver’s error. Eight (8%) were attributed
to mechanical failure, seven (7%) to tire failure, while 15%
were attributed to other causes.
Feb 20, 2011 House sets debate over
motorbike bill
The house of Representatives
committee on Transportation has
approved for plenary debate a
measure requiring all motorcycle
drivers to turn on their headlights
while driving at all hours of day of
night on all types of roads.
Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Gaviola
Mercado, chairman of the panel, said
House bill 3375 is a proactive and
preventive measure, given the increasing
frequency of accidents and mishaps
involving motorcycles in the country.
Headlights must be of sufficient intensity to
reveal a person or a vehicle at a distance
of not less than 30.5 meters.
 15th Congress
Senate Bill No. 2688

BICYCLE ACT OF 2011

Filed on February 10, 2011 by Villar, Manny B.

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR BICYCLE RIGHTS,

CREATION OF LOCAL BIKEWAYS OFFICE
(LBO), ESTABLISHING INFRASTRUCTURE
IN RELATION THERETO AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
 MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.
asked Saturday for congressional support for
the passage of his bill which seeks to promote
bicycles as an alternative mode of
transportation in the face of the increasing price
of fuel and fares. Villar authored Senate Bill No.
2688 or the Bicycle Act of 2011 which seeks to
provide a framework for a bicycle law on a
national level. The bill states that all main roads
and highways shall be provided with bicycle
lanes or bike
ways as identified by the Local Bikeways Office (LBO).
"Bicycle riding not only promotes health and leisure
but also provides for an alternative solution to high fuel
prices, increasing transport fares, traffic management,
air and noise pollution and high cost of motorized
vehicles including maintenance and parking fees,"
Villar said.
The LBO is the agency which will be in charge
of implementing the policies, rules, and
regulations pertinent to the Bicycle Act,
including the registration of bicycles using the
bike ways. This agency will be under the
supervision of the city or municipal
engineering office. One of the first measures
related to bicycle use in the Philippines was
enacted by the Marikina City Council in 1996,
Villar said. The Marikina ordinance defined the
use of all streets, avenues,
 alleys, sidewalks, bridges, parks, and other
public places as bicycle lanes. Recently, a
bicycle ordinance was approved on second
reading in Davao City. The Cultural Center of
the Philippines Complex has also integrated
a bicycle lane in its road network, Villar said.
"The worsening pollution problem also calls
for the promotion of the use of non-motorized
vehicles that is free from harmful emissions,"
he added.
The Villar bill also provides for the
creation of Bicycle Parks in each
city and municipality where
provisions for bicycles are present
such as bikeways, bicycle parking
areas and similar infrastructure.
Funding for the construction of
bicycle parks will be sourced from
revenues raised from the locality's
miscellaneous activities like
parking and license fees.
The bill also includes a section
indicating the rights, duties, and
obligations of cyclists, promoting
safety of bicycle riders and all road
users. Other features of the bill are:
The use of helmets and appropriate
signals and the use of reflective
materials especially at night;
restrictions on cyclists and the right
to use a bicycle such as the
prohibition for a bicycle to carry
more persons than it was designed
except when another regular seat
or trailer towed by the bicycle is
present; and prohibits the parking
of bicycles in areas not specifically
marked as parking areas for
bicycles. According to the bill,
once bike lanes are established on
a road, any person is prohibited
from operating a motor vehicle to
drive in the bikeway.
Sen. Manny Villar is pushing for the
passage of a law which will promote
bicycles as an alternative mode of
transportation in the face of the
increasing price of fuel and fares.

"Bicycle riding not only promotes

health and leisure but also provides
for an alternative solution to high fuel
prices, increasing transport fares,
traffic management, air and noise
pollution and high cost of motorized
Villar authored Senate Bill No. 2688 or
the Bicycle Act of 2011 which seeks to
provide a framework for a bicycle law
on a national level.Under the bill, all
main roads and highways shall be
provided with bicycle lanes or bike
ways identified by the Local Bikeways
Office (LBO). The LBO is the agency
which will be in charge of
implementing the policies, rules and
regulations pertinent to the Bicycle
Act, including the registration of
supervision of the city or municipal
engineering office.
Villar noted that in the Philippines, one
of the first laws related to bicycle use
was enacted by the Marikina City
Council in 1996 which dwells on the
use of all streets, avenues, alleys,
sidewalks, bridges, parks, and other
public places as bicycle lanes.
Recently, a bicycle ordinance was
approved on second reading in Davao
City.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines
Complex has also integrated a bicycle lane
in its road network, he added. "The
worsening pollution problem also calls for
the promotion of the use of non-motorized
vehicles that is free from harmful
emissions," he added. The bill also provides
for the creation of Bicycle Parks in each
city and municipality where provisions for
bicycles are present such as bikeways,
bicycle parking areas and similar
infrastructure.
Funding for the construction of bicycle
parks will be sourced from revenues raised
from the locality's miscellaneous activities
like parking and license fees. The bill also
includes a section indicating the rights,
duties and obligations of cyclists,
promoting safety of bicycle riders and all
road users. It mandates the use of helmets
and appropriate signals and the use of
reflective materials especially at night.
It also imposes restrictions upon
cyclists and the right to use a bicycle
such as the prohibition for a bicycle to
carry more persons than it was
designed to carry except when
another regular seat or trailer towed
by the bicycle is present. It also
prohibits the parking of bicycles in
areas not specifically marked as
parking areas for bicycles.
 Total Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill in
the Philippines
Date Published: September 20, 2008
In many countries, using a cell phone while
driving is ok (if the cell phone is being used in a
hands-free mode). However, a proposed bill in the
Philippine House of Representatives (House Bill
No. 4917) is a little bit harsher than laws in
Western countries proposing a total cell phone
ban while driving in the Philippines.
The Automobile Association Philippines
(AAP) has called for an absolute ban
on the use of mobile phones while
driving, saying it was the 12th most
common cause of traffic accidents in
the country in 2006.
Using cell phones—even hands-free
sets—on the road could impair the
driver’s concentration and could cause
accidents, said the AAP.
 For the same reason, Buhay party-list
representatives filed a bill seeking to
penalize persons caught reading or sending
text messages while driving.
House Bill No. 4917 proposes a jail term of
up to six months and a maximum fine of
PhP 100,000. Exempted from the bill are
law enforcers, drivers of rescue vehicles
and ambulances and people from media.
A number of countries like Australia,
France, South Korea and Japan restrict or
ban cell phone use while driving. The cities
of Manila, Makati and Cebu had banned the
practice on paper, but it has not been
Former President and current
Representative for Pampanga's
2nd District, Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo, today had the House of
Representatives approve House
Bill 4251, a new law that sternly
penalizes drunk driving or driving
while under the effects of illegal
drugs.
The new bill imposes a fine of at least PhP
5,000 that can reach up to PhP 20,000 if a
person is found operating a motor vehicle while
intoxicated on alcohol, and possible revocation
of license for repeat offenders. Meanwhile
those caught under the influence of drugs will
face a revocation of license and PhP 10,000
fine for private individuals; while public utility
vehicle drivers will be slapped with a stricter
punishment of one month and a day to one
year imprisonment along with the automatic
revocation of their license.
For the bill to pass into law, the upper house, the
Senate, must also approve a counterpart bill, which
will then become an implemented law once President
Aquino signs it.

The new law prescribes that if any driver is suspected

of being under the influence of a drug or intoxicated
on alcohol, he or she will be brought to the precinct
for immediate tests to verify whether or not he/she
violates the law. Also, as an added measure, drivers
that figure in a vehicular accident will also be tested
accordingly.
Apart from the corresponding fines and licensure
suspensions, drivers caught violating the law will be
required to render community service.

To enforce the law in the future, the bill provides for

the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to acquire
proper testing equipment such as breathalyzers to
ascertain the blood toxicity of the suspected drivers.
There are, however, are still no particular details as to
what the testing procedures are or what the
medical/clinical definition (i.e. blood alcohol level) of
drunk driving in House Bill 4251 is.
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 04/16/2011 3:10 PM | Updated as of
04/16/2011 3:11 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Miriam Defensor

Santiago has filed a bill that aims to promote
riding the bicycle as an alternative solution amid
rising gas prices.

“With Filipinos struggling to cope with the

increases in fuel prices, cycling provides an
inexpensive, healthier and more earth-friendly
alternative,” Santiago said.
“To support such a program, the proper
infrastructure must be created. Without it, biking
on Philippine roads remains hazardous to the
cyclist,” Santiago said.

Santiago’s Senate Bill No. 2789, also known as

the Bike-Friendly Communities Act, will mandate
the Department of Transportation and
Communication to establish a bike program to
promote safe biking in all towns and cities,
including the construction and maintenance of
bicycle lanes, parking, and support facilities.
Under the bill, public places, including
government offices and major business
establishments will be required to provide bicycle
racks for bicycle parking which are secure,
visible, and accessible.

Santiago said she drew inspiration from cities

such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Basel, Beijing,
Berlin, Strasbourg, and several US states that
have successfully created bike-friendly
communities.
“Establishing a nation-wide bicycle program would
empower citizens by providing them with a concrete
alternative means of commuting from one city to
another. This integration of bicycling into the country's
transport system and city planning would ensure that the
program becomes more permanent,” Santiago said.

The bill was filed in time for the Tour of the Fireflies to be
held on Sunday, April 17.

The Tour of the Fireflies is an annual mass cycling event

where participants ride their bicycles through Metro
Manila advocating for cleaner air and sustainable
communities.
 Mandaluyong City mayor Benhur
Abalos procure twenty-two eight
seater e-tricycles courtesy of a
S110,000 grant from the Asian
Development Bank. Philstar 14 Apr
2011