Duterte Signs Tulong Trabaho, Child Safety Act
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed two new laws: Republic Act 11230 (Tulong Trabaho Act) and the Republic Act 11229 (Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act).
The Tulong Trabaho Act is a measure that gives qualified recipients free access to technical-vocation (tech-voc) education. The government aims for these free tech-voc courses to address job-skills mismatch.
Meanwhile, the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act is aimed at ensuring the safety and welfare of infants and children, as well as preventing traffic-related injuries and deaths.
Gearing Up for Better Job Opportunities
Under RA 11230, the Tulong-Trabaho Fund will be created to provide qualified recipients access to free tech-voc education and training programs.These will be identified by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The new law will also pave the way for the Philippine Labor Force Competencies Competitiveness Program to be established. This program is set to help strengthen the qualifications of the Filipino workforce so that they are capable of meeting the challenges of rapidly evolving work structures and workplaces.
Ensuring Child Safety
The Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act cites the need to “adequately, consistently and objectively require, regulate, promote and inform the public on the use of child restraint systems.”
Under the law, no child 12 years old and below shall be allowed to be in the front passenger seat of vehicles unless they meet the required height of 4’11’’. They should also be properly secured with the regular seat belt while the engine is running.
With regards to the child restraint system, it should be appropriate to the child’s age, height, and weight. However, during medical emergencies or when the child has a developmental or medical condition, using a child restraint system is not required.
Mandatory compliance of the law will be enforced one year after the effectivity of its implementing rules and regulations (IRR). The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will be creating the IRR six months from the effectivity of the law.
