T’yang Amy [Perez] ridicules the Land and Transportation Office’s (LTO) new car seat law for children.
Starting February 2, LTO will implement Republic Act 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act which would not allow children from taking the front seats.
Law Enforcement Service deputy director Roberto Valera said that the law is meant for the safety of the child in the vehicle. He also added that it would also limit the possibility of kids sustaining injuries, or worse, death, in case of a car crash or road accident.
However, Perez, popularly known as T’yang Amy, asked the right question to LTO Director Atty. Clarence Guinto during an episode of DZMM‘s TeleRadyo.
“Ang tanong, direktor, kung ang 12 years old po ninyo ay sobrang tangkad, at siya po ay lalagyan ng booster, so aangat po yun direktor, tatama ang ulo sa kotse. Hindi po ba mas delikado yun? Kapag nagkaron tayo ng aksidente,” asked Tyang Amy.
To which Guinto replied that the host should get a bigger car, “Siguro T’yang Amy, laki-lakihan mo ang sasakyan mo.”
However, T’yang Amy expressed her concern for most Filipinos, who cannot afford to buy new vehicles, had to abide by LTO’s new law.
“Ay wala po akong ganun. Ang pinag-uusapan po natin dito direktor Guinto ay yung karamihan po sa ating mga Kapamilya. Na kailangan din po nating i-consider po yun,” clarified Tyang Amy.
As a result of this interaction and with the newest rule of LTO, several celebrities and Netizens reacted to how inconsiderate the government agency was.
Actress Chynna Ortaleza on her twitter account wrote that she had the biggest laugh at the decision of LTO. She also said that it is not easy to follow the director’s recommendation of getting a bigger car to follow the said rule.
I just had the biggest laugh. Carseats & the brilliant decision to say.. get a bigger car if your kid is tall & big and can’t fit into a booster seat?
Shucks parang ang dali bumili ng kotse. O and by the way.. car seats ain’t cheap either.
— Chynna Ortaleza (@ChynsOrtaleza) February 1, 2021
In a separate tweet, she commended Tyang Amy on her wittiness in asking the perfect question for said law.
O and by the way.. I love you Tyang Amy. Serving it the swabe way.
— Chynna Ortaleza (@ChynsOrtaleza) February 1, 2021
Meanwhile, actor and singer Kean Cipriano thought it was a joke to get the 12-year-olds car seat. He also said the implementation of such a law to divert the real situation of the country.
12 years old naka car seat? Seryoso ba? Or way na naman ba ito para i divert yung totoong sitwasyon na nangyayare sa bansa?
We all know na isang malaking kalokohan na i car seat ang 12years old.
nagcocommute na kaya ako nung 12 ako!!!
— Kean Cipriano (@keancipriano) February 1, 2021
Musician Patricia Lasaten also tweeted about the interaction between T’yang Amy and LTO Director Guinto. She wrote that the director is all about idiocy.
kalokohan talaga https://t.co/CBq6QdgAp5
— Pat Lasaten
(@patlasaten) February 1, 2021
After watching the interview where Guinto gave his solution to T’yang Amy’s concern on getting a bigger car, forensic expert Raquel Fortun tweeted, “Seriously?”
Seriously? https://t.co/sqt4FApW7X
— Raquel Fortun (@Doc4Dead) February 1, 2021
Radio host DJ Chacha also made fun of LTO’s new law by recommending that parents should measure their children’s height. In case a child fails to meet the height requirement of 4’11, it’s time to buy car seats.
Pakisukat na height ng mga anak ninyong 12 yrs old below. Kapag hindi lumagpas ng 4”11 ang height dapat naka-booster seat ang mga bagets.
— DJ Chacha (@_djchacha) February 1, 2021
Moreover, netizen @paolosmacasaet commended Tyang Amy for doing a better job in responding to a government official’s answer, especially when it’s a stupid one. The netizen also compared the host to other veteran journalists who were not able to respond to dumb answers.
https://twitter.com/paolosmacasaet/status/1356039477072781571
Blogger Jed M. Eva III also refuted the answer of Guinto by saying that the director doesn’t need bigger vehicles. What he needs is to read the law.
You don't need a bigger car; you just need to read the law.
Republic Act 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act is pretty clear, IMO: pic.twitter.com/Z6N46x9OCh
— Jed M. Eva III (@jedeva) February 1, 2021
However, not everyone was concerned about the car seat. Singer Bituin Escalante had other thoughts regarding R.A. 11229. The singer came up with a question on who will gain the most regarding the required car seats in every Filipino vehicle.
Sino na naman kayang friend ng pamahalaan ang kikita sa car seat law?
— bituin escalante (@gobituin) February 1, 2021
The inconsiderate answer of Guinto led him to clarify the confusion. In a post tweeted by actor Jason Abalos, the LTO director provided a better explanation that the height requirement is only for children below the required height.
— jason abalos (@thejasonabalos) February 1, 2021
Meanwhile, R.A. 11229 does not apply to public transportation. However, the Department of Transportation is probing whether public vehicles should also adopt the law.
