Drew Tetangco
- Almost every Filipino has a cellphone and would not stop using it, even when walking
- Accidents can occur when a person tries to cross a street while looking at their phones
- Baguio City hopes to implement a law to ban the act of crossing while using a gadget
Baguio City, Philippines – A third and final reading of a new ordinance in Baguio City has been done. This new ordinance involves banning the use of gadgets and earphones when walking or crossing streets in the city.
The use of gadgets has become the norm for most people. Some could not leave their house without one or the other. Others prefer walking while listening to music and being able to ignore any noise around them. Other people prefer to open their social media apps all the time as the want to either be updated all the time, or they like creating posts every now and then.
Being too distracted with gadgets while walking can cause accidents. If one is not attentive, you could trip, hit something, or worse, be involved in a vehicular accident.
This is what the Baguio City aims to prevent, as said by city councilor Francis Robert Ortega.
From the news report by ABS-CBN, in the new ordinance, a verbal warning will be issued for first offense. A second offense will call for a P1,000 fine and community service.
A third offense will call for a P2,000 fine and community service or you would be jailed for no more than 10 days. A fine of up to P2,500 and community service or jail time of up to 30 days will be the penalty for a fourth offense.
As of this moment, all the ordinance is waiting for now is the signature of the mayor, Benjamin Magalong, and this will become a law within the city.
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