Fourteenth

Congress
Third Regular Session
Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of July, two thousand nine.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10054
AN ACT MANDATING ALL MOTORCYCLE RIDERS TO WEAR STANDARD PROTECTIVE MOTORCYCLE
HELMETS WHILE DRIVING AND PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009".
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to secure and safeguard its citizenry,
particularly the operators or drivers of motorcycles and their passengers, from the ruinous and extremely injurious
effects of fatal or life threatening accidents and crashes. 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.
Section 3. Mandatory Use of Motorcycle Helmets. - 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 motorcycle helmets are appropriate types of helmets for motorcycle riders that comply with the
specifications issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The DTI shall issue guidelines, which should include the specifications regarding standard protective motorcycle
helmets.
Section 4. Exemption. - Drivers of tricycles shall be exempted from complying with the mandatory wearing of
motorcycle helmets as provided in this Act.
Section 5. Provision of Motorcycle Helmets. - A new motorcycle helmet which bears the Philippine Standard (PS)
mark or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) of the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) and complies with the
standards set by the BPS shall be made available by every seller and/or dealer every time a new motorcycle unit is
purchased and which the purchaser may buy at bis option. Failure to comply with the requirements provided under
this section shall constitute a violation of this Act.
Section 6. Implementation. - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), with its attached
agency, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), is mandated by this Act to issue guidelines necessary to implement
the provisions of this Act.
The DTI, through the BPS, is mandated to utilize the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Protocols with regard to the standards that will be applicable to the approval or disapproval of motorcycle helmets that
will be sold in the Philippines.
The DTI, through the BPS, shall conduct a mandatory testing of all manufactured and imported motorcycle helmets
in the Philippines. All manufacturers and importers of standard protective motorcycle helmets are required to secure
a PS license or ICC prior to the sale and distribution of their products. The BPS shall issue periodically a list of
motorcycle helmet manufacturers and importers and the brands which pass the standards of the BPS to be published
in a newspaper of general circulation or in its website.
Upon the effectivity of this Act, only those standard protective motorcycle helmets bearing the PS or ICC mark shall
be sold in the market.
Section 7. Penalties. - (a) Any person caught not wearing the standard protective motorcycle helmet in violation of
this Act shall be punished with a fine of One thousand five hundred pesos (Php1,500.00) for the first offense; Three
thousand pesos (Php3,000.00) for the second offense; Five thousand pesos (Php5,000.00) for the third offense; and
Ten thousand pesos (Php10,000.00) plus confiscation of the driver's license for the fourth and succeeding offenses.
(b) Any seller and/or dealer who violates Section 5 of this Act shall be punished with a fine of not lees than Ten
thousand pesos (Php10,000.00) but not more than Twenty thousand pesos (Php20,000.00).
(c) Any person who uses, sells and distributes substandard motorcycle helmets or those which do not bear the PS
mark or the ICC certificate shall be punished with a fine of not less than Three thousand pesos (Php3,000.00) for the
first offense; and Five thousand pesos (Php5,000.00) for the second offense, without prejudice to other penalties
imposed in Republic Act No. 7394 or the "Consumer Act of the Philippines".
(d) Tampering, alteration, forgery and imitation of the PS mark and the ICC certificates in the helmets shall be punished
with a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (Php10,000.00) but not more than Twenty thousand pesos
(Php20,000.00), without prejudice to other penalties imposed in Republic Act No. 7394 or the "Consumer Act of the
Philippines".
Section 8. Nationwide Public Information Campaign. - The LTO, in coordination with the Philippine Information
Agency (PIA), the Department of Education (DepED) and private agencies and organizations, shall undertake a
nationwide information, education and communication (IEC) campaign for a period of six (6) months for the attainment
of the objective s of this Act.
Section 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of
this Act or the provisions not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
Section 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,

(Sgd.) PROSPERO C. NOGRALES (Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILE

Speaker of the House of Representatives President of the Senate
This Act which is a consolidation of House Bill No. 6924 and Senate Bill No. 1863 was finally passed by the House of
Representatives and the Senate on November 16, 2009 and December 16, 2009, respectively.

(Sgd.) EMMA LIRIO-REYES (Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP

Secretary of Senate Secretary General
House of Representatives

Approved: MAR 23 2010

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines

Eleventh Congress
Republic Act No. 8750 August 5, 1999
AN ACT REQUIRING THE MANDATORY COMPLIANCE BY MOTORISTS OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC
VEHICLES TO USE SEAT BELT DEVICES, AND REQUIRING VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS TO INSTALL SEAT
BELT DEVICES IN ALL THEIR MANUFACTURED VEHICLES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Seat Belts Use Act of 1999."
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to secure and safeguard its citizenry,
particularly the passengers and drivers of private and public motor vehicles, from the ruinous and extremely injurious
effects of vehicular accidents. Towards this end, the State shall pursue a more proactive and preventive approach in
order to secure the safety of the passengers and drivers at all times with the mandatory enforcement of the use of
seat belt devices by the drivers and front seat passengers of private and public motor vehicles.
Section 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the term:
(a) "Motorist" shall refer to the driver of a motor vehicle.
(b) "Seat belt device" shall refer to any strap, webbing or similar device in the form of pelvic restraint or lap
belt, upper torso restraint or shoulder strap or a combination thereof designed to secure a person in a motor
vehicle in order to mitigate the results of any accident, including all necessary buckles and other fasteners,
and all hardware designed for installing such seat belt device in a motor vehicle.
(c) "Motor vehicle" shall refer to both private and public motor vehicle. The term shall not include the tricycle
and motorcycle.
(d) "Private motor vehicle" shall refer to any of the following:
(1) Any motor vehicle owned by individuals and juridical persons for private use;
(2) Any motor vehicle owned by the National Government or any of its agencies, instrumentalities or
political subdivisions, including government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries for
official use; and
(3) Any diplomatic vehicle.
(e) "Public motor vehicle" shall refer to public utility vehicle or vehicle for hire.
(f) "Motor vehicle of running engine" shall refer to a vehicle as stated herein, operating and standing on
any road or thoroughfare with engine running.
 (g) "Front seat passengers" shall refer to persons on board a public utility vehicle seated at the right side
beside the driver for public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and to passengers seated at the right side beside the driver
and those at the first row immediately behind the driver in the case of public utility buses (PUBs) and to
passengers seated on the right side beside the driver for private motor vehicles.
Section 4. Mandatory Use of Seat Belts. — For their own safety, the driver and front seat passengers of a public or
private motor vehicle are required to wear or use their seat belt devices while inside a vehicle of running engine on
any road or thoroughfare: Provided, That for private vehicles, except for jeeps, jeepneys, vans, buses and such other
private vehicles as may be determined in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), front and back seat
passengers are likewise required to use their seat belt devices at all times.
In the case of public motor vehicles, the driver shall be required to immediately inform and require the front seat
passengers upon boarding a vehicle of running engine to wear the prescribed seat belts. Any passenger who refuses
to wear seat belts shall not be allowed to continue his/her trip.
For special public service vehicles such as school services and other similar vehicles as may be determined by the
IRR, seat belt devices should be provided and used by both drivers and front seat passengers as defined herein and
the first row passengers immediately behind the driver at all times while inside a vehicle of running engine.
Operational motor vehicles, both public and private, which are not equipped with the required seat belt devices, are
given one (1) year from the issuance of the IRR by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to retrofit appropriate seat
belt devices in their vehicles.
Section 5. Children Prohibited to Sit in Front Seat. — Infants and/or children with ages six (6) years and below shall
be prohibited to sit in the front seat of any running motor vehicle.
Section 6. Coverage. — This Act, in the interest of public safety, shall apply to drivers and front seat passengers of
public and private motor vehicles and other vehicles as may be determined by the IRR thereon.
Section 7. Provisions for Seat Belt. — This Act further requires car manufacturers, assemblers and distributors to
ensure that seat belt devices are properly installed before the distribution and sale of the said vehicles as determined
by the IRR thereon: Provided, That manufacturers, assemblers and distributors of jeepneys may install a pelvic
restraint or lap belt only in the driver's and front seat passengers' seats and this shall be considered as substantial
compliance with the requirements of this Act.
Section 8. Importation. — It shall be unlawful for any person to import or cause the importation of any vehicle without
appropriate and operational seat belt devices as required herein and in accordance with the IRR thereon.
Section 9. Type of Seat Belt Devices Required. — The seat belt devices required to be installed in all motor vehicles
shall comply with the standards and specifications established by the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI) in consultation with the LTO of the Department of Transportation and Communications
(DOTC): Provided, That the seat belt devices installed in imported second-hand motor vehicles shall conform to the
standards and specifications of the Bureau of Product Standards for purposes of importation and registration.
Section 10. Registration. — No new motor vehicle shall be allowed initial registration and succeeding renewal of
registration unless it is equipped with the necessary seat belt devices. Renewal of registration of in-use vehicles
without necessary seat belt devices shall not be allowed one (1) year after the passage of the IRR as specified in
Section 11 of this Act. For this purpose, the LTO shall include in the implementing guidelines a system of vehicle
registration where compliance with Section 4 hereof is required.
Section 11. Period of Implementation. — The LTO shall be the agency primarily responsible in the enforcement and
implementation of this Act. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the LTO shall formulate and issue the
necessary implementing rules, regulations and guidelines and shall mobilize available resources to assure the
effective implementation of this Act: Provided, That the LTO or its successor tasked with the implementation of this
Act may require the use of special car seats for infants, if it is deemed necessary.
Section 12. Penalties and Fines. — In the enforcement of this Act, the LTO shall impose fines against drivers,
operators, owners of vehicles, manufacturers, assemblers, importers and/or distributors for violation of this Act.
The following shall be the basis in defining fine and penalty provisions of the IRR to be promulgated pursuant to
Section 11 hereof, provided that six (6) months grace period shall be allowed to lapse to conduct a nationwide
information campaign:
(1) On the driver
(a) For failure to wear the prescribed seat belt devices and/or failure to require his passengers to wear
the prescribed seat belt device, a minimum fine of One hundred pesos (P100) but not to exceed One
thousand pesos (P1,000) for the first violation; a minimum fine of Two hundred pesos (P200) but not
to exceed Two thousand pesos (P2,000) for the second violation; and a minimum fine of Five hundred
pesos (P500) but not to exceed Five thousand pesos (P5,000) and suspension of driver's license for
a period of one (1) week for the third and succeeding violations;
(b) Public utility vehicles shall post appropriate signages instructing front seat
 passengers to wear seat belts when inside the vehicle. Non-compliance hereof will hold both the driver and
the operator liable and shall be fined a minimum of Three hundred pesos (P300) but not to exceed Three
thousand pesos (P3,000) for every violation; and
(2) On any manufacturer, assembler, importer and distributor for every unit found without seat belt devices
installed prior to its distribution to the public, a minimum fine of Five thousand pesos (P5,000) but not to exceed
Ten thousand pesos (P10,000) and suspension of the license to manufacture, assemble, import or distribute
for a period of one (1) year for the first violation; a minimum fine of Ten thousand pesos (P10,000) but not to
exceed Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) and suspension of the license to manufacture, assemble, import
or distribute for a period of two (2) years for the second violation; and a fine of Twenty thousand pesos
(P20,000) but not to exceed Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) and suspension of the license to manufacture,
assemble, import or distribute for a period of five (5) years for the third violation.
Section 13. Nationwide Public Information Campaign. — (a) The LTO, in coordination with the Philippine Information
Agency (PIA) the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) and private agencies and organizations, shall
undertake a regular nationwide Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign for the attainment of the
objectives of this Act. The campaign shall stress the safety and health value of seat belts to support the most effective
enforcement of this Act.
(b) The LTO, in coordination with the local government units, shall likewise utilize the services of citizen groups
and community organizations for the promotion of public safety awareness in observance of this Act.
(c) The fines that will be collected for the enforcement of this Act shall be used exclusively for the
implementation of the provisions of this Act, including the necessary promotion campaigns for the use of seat
belt devices.
Section 14. Separability Clause. — If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder
of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
Section 15. Repealing Clause. — Section 34, Article IV of Republic Act No. 4136 is hereby amended and any law,
executive order, decree, issuance, ordinance, rule and regulation or any part thereof contrary or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act is also hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
Section 16. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2)
national newspapers of general circulation.
Approved: August 5, 1999