Dumaguete waterfront is now big enough, thanks to PPA. But where are the big commercial boats? They are now doing business in smaller and private town ports because the government, in the past, was not quick enough to provide such infrastructure. But this city wants to preserve its pristine, rustic ambience anyway.
RTC junks legality issue of helmet law
VOL. 39 No. 6 Dumaguete City, Philippines Sunday, JULY 22, 2012
P12.00
By CHOY GALLARDE
T
he Regional Trial Court Branch 44 in Dumaguete City has dismissed the petition for declaration of unconstitutionality of RA 10054, otherwise known as the National Helmet Law, in a decision dated July 19, 2012 by presiding Judge Neciforo Enot. Judge Enot dismissed the petition for failure of the petitioners to clearly and convincingly prove its unconstitutionality. He said RA 10054 remains a valid and enforceable statute and that respondents have no choice but to implement it as a matter of course. “This court is not oblivious
of the fact that prominent personalities in Dumaguete City are resorting to extrajudicial or political remedies to delay or suspend the implementation of RA 10054. In fact, on or about the time the petition at bar was filed, the Honorable Vice-Mayor Alan Gel S.
(To page 17)
Ban plastic bags back to baskets
T
he provincial policy makers at the provincial board have effectively stopped the local Dep’t of Trade and Industry from further collecting “processing fees” of P101.25 from every motorcycle helmet owner if it “passes the DTI” standards without which the helmet owner is subject to sanction with a fine of as high as P3,000 each. BUT DTI DEFIES: Despite this oppressive financial and economic gestures, DTI and JONG Fortunato BM SAL Erames the Land Transportation office said they will continue to extract these DTI local head Provincial Board (To page 17)
R
esidents of this capital city must get used to bring ing their own biodegradable bags when the govern ment starts to strictly implement the ordinance regulating the use of plastic bags in the last week of August. Environmental advocates tally eliminate, plastic bags as are urging the public to start packaging materials. Advousing alternative packaging cates of the measure are optimaterials such as woven bags, mistic that, by conducting inbaskets, banana leaves cloth formation drive, the attitude of and paper bags for packaging city residents will gradually when buying wet and dry change and appreciate the imgoods. portance of doing away with The objective of Ordinance plastic bags as primary packNo. 231 is to reduce, if not to(To page 17)
Two SUMC groups to unionize w/ ALU BY JUANCHO RODRIGUEZ
S
illiman University rank and file wokers have de cided anew to unionize. Two groups of employ ees at the Silliman University Medical CenterFoundation, Inc. (SUMC-FI) are forming themselves into labor unions following the conduct of a certification election late last week. Out of a total of 296 rank and file employees, 251 voted yes to form a union, with only three employees who are against and 20 considered as challenge votes
from so-called confidential employees and 22 were absent. On the certification elec(To page 17)
Shoppers are seen embracing big brown “Manila paper bags” in place of plastics at local grocery stores. Soon, they will be “back to the baskets” for marketing.
BM Teves grills DTI on helmet fees
L
ong-time motorbike enthusiast Board Member Arnie Teves left many of his audience convinced of the impropriety, excessiveness and untrustworthiness of the processes in which helmets are subjected to by the Department of Trade and Industry. As per questioning of BM Teves, it appears that ards set by law. the DTI personnel received no proper scientific laboTeves, who knows whereof he speaks, said that the ratory training in ascertaining the durability of the cheapest helmet in the market that is up to the DOT standhelmets despite the P100.00 processing fee collected ards is worth P5,000.00 or more, an amount way beyond from the applicants for the ICC stickers required for reach of the common motorists. every helmet. DTI explains that there are helmet brands which DTI said that the agency receives an average of passed the Bureau of Product Standards and are given 300 applications daily, which prompted concern if such markings to indicate that these helmets passed the the DTI has the expertise of truly determining so-called eight tests for its trustworthiness and quality. whether the helmets’ quality conform to the stand(To page 17)
“INJUSTICE ANYWHERE CAN BE A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.”
NC July 22, ISSUE p65.p65
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