“Let's give it a try,” former Senator Miguel Zubiri said about the impending implementation of the national helmet law in Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental in July this year.

Zubiri said it is the right of every individual to raise concerns about the so-called impracticability of the helmet law in a small city like Dumaguete, but as government officials, “You cannot just disregard the safety of constituents and motorists alike,” he said.

Last week, more than a thousand motorists in Dumaguete signed a petition in connection with the filing of a class suit against the implementation of the helmet law, spearheaded by the city council.

Zubiri, however, said amendments to Republic Act No.10054 is possible, and that, the helmets must be provided for free to motorcycle buyers, or make the helmets available, through a payment scheme.

He added that if a motorist is able to buy a motorcycle, or buy P100 worth of cellphone load everyday, there is no reason that he or she cannot afford to buy a helmet for safety.

In Greece and Italy , vehement objection to the implementation of the helmet law was also reported five years ago, with anti-helmet rallies but eventually fizzled out, and now they are using it, Zubiri said.

With the implementation of the helmet law, a big drop in the mortality rate were reported in Bukidnon, he said.

In Bukidnon, he said he assisted more than 500 victims of motorcycle accidents while he was congressman, and 80 percent of them were killed because they were not wearing protective head gear.*JG

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Meanwhile, Zubiri said he is eyeing the support of Visayas and Mindanao regions, if he wants to have a louder voice in the Senate, in the 2013 local and national elections.

Zubiri, said there are only five senators from the Visayan region, two from Iloilo, senators Franklin Drilon and Meriam Santiago, Sen Serge Osemena from Cebu, Sen TJ Guingona from Bukidnon and Sen. Koko Pimentel from Cagayan de Oro, while the rest come from Luzon .

Zubiri said he is hopes he and Pimentel will reconcile, because the latter is still questioning his inclusion in the short list of senatoriables under the United Nationalist Alliance.

Zubiri was in the top five in the 2007 elections in Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental.*JG

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