Dash cam ordinance not passed

The mulled Dash Cam Ordinance requiring to install a dashboard camera to heavy trucks, buses and vans was not passed in the city council’s regular session yesterday.

The proposed ordinance lost in the city council yesterday during the discussion for the second hearing with only four affirmative votes, while four negative, and nine abstain votes. The other four councilors were out.

“The (other councilors) wanted to ask clarifications but this proposed ordinance have been in the agenda for so long but it was not tackled,” said Councilor Maria Belen Acosta, chair of the Committee on Public Safety and proponent.

According to Acosta, the proposed local law was queued in the agenda for so long come and her committee already conducted several committee hearings with the presence of the Land Transportation Office XI and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) XI.

“The LTO and LTFRB already answered whatever it is that they want to clarify,” she said.

According to Acosta, she regrets that the law has not been passed especially that this is a request of Mayor Sara Duterte to address traffic and public safety concerns in the city.

“I could not really understand because the LTO and the LTFRB already gave their clarifications,” she said. “This is a request coming from the mayor. She said we needed an ordinance requiring dash cams. She also said if they can afford to buy trucks or they can afford their big business, they can also afford to buy a dashcam,” she said.

According to Acosta, she is yet to confer with the decision of the Mayor but she does not close the possibility of refiling the ordinance incorporating the suggestions of the other councilors.

“It’s possible (to refile) but I hope that the councilors who did not vote will specify because it is not enough that you voice out whatever you voice out but you do not offer an amendment or something to it,” she said.

“Also, they wanted to defer this back to the committee level but this has been in the committee level for the longest time already and they do not attend,” she said.

Meanwhile, according to Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag, the general sentiment of the council is that “the policy is not needed as of now because there are existing policies from the LTFRB requiring the public utility dash cam.”

However, according to Acosta, “there is no redundancy here because the LTFRB has their memorandum circular, while we have a proposed ordinance.”

“There is no conflict with the LTFRB mandate and the Council has the power to make ordinances and the agencies also have the power to issue circulars. In fact, the LGUs are encouraged to make ordinances and resolution for public safety,” she said. (Julianne Suarez)