BY JOSEPH PEDRAJAS
Several personnel of the Quezon City government on Friday gave away free helmets to cyclists who could not afford to buy one as wearing of the safety gear is now strictly mandatory in the city.
Ret. Gen. Elmo San Diego, head of the city’s Public Order and Safety that led the distribution of the helmets, said that 250 of the 2,000 recently procured helmets were already given to bikers who were seen not wearing them.
Most of the recipients were constructions workers, students and those who are “financially challenged.”
“Halo halo na [yung beneficiaries]. Yung walang suot na helmet kasi wala pambili, sila target beneficiaries natin,” San Diego said in a text message, noting that both city and non-city residents received free helmets.
They did this instead of penalizing them.
The local government’s move came after it passed a measure requiring bikers passing through the city to wear helmets and imposing fines from P1,000 to P5,000 against those who will not do so. (Joseph Pedrajas)
