Friday, March 29, 2024

Government: AMALAYER?

1

Perspectives

Tedrik Norouzi

Under the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009, motorcycle drivers and back riders caught not wearing the standard protective motorcycle helmet while driving will be fined P1,500 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense and P5,000 for the third offense, and confiscation of the driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses.

In my understanding, this whole policy is against our freedom of choice, even the intention behind it is not for our health.

What if they pass a bill saying anyone does not sleep on time should be penalized? Or if you won’t brush your teeth you should pay fine? Or if anyone commits suicide by jumping off the bridge, their parents should pay penalty?

Doesn’t it seem they are invading your personal choices? Well that’s what’s happing right now with “Helmet Policy”. Government says if you can’t take care of your health, then you need to pay us money. Don’t be confused, if someone is caught over speeding or drunk, it might be fair to impose a penalty on them since the driver is putting other people’s lives in danger. But when it comes to helmet, brushing teeth or jumping off the bridge, it puts no one in danger but the individual himself !

Well they say that this policy is for public health and safety. If that was the case, they should have banned cigarette and liquor.

Within these past few weeks after the implementation of the policy, hundreds and hundreds of bikes got tickets in Dumaguete City. Take a few seconds and do the math. Have you ever thought why the penalties are monetary? Why not, let’s say, if they caught you without helmet, your bike will be confiscated for 30 days? I’m not against using of helmet; I’m against the policy that forces the helmet down on our head.

Well here is better lie, “Sin Tax”! When I heard it for the first time I was really laughing loud. I was wondering where our creative and humorous policy makers came up with that name from? Supposedly if they can reduce public sin, God gets happy, people get healthier and government cashes in some money for facilitating this charitable act. Everyone goes home happy. See, it’s a win-win situation designed by our highly effective politicians.

Interestingly, I haven’t yet come across a smoker who says, “Today I’m gonna smoke a stick less since the price has increased.” You think price increase in such items can lessen market demand? Then why do people still buy drugs?

Health is not the issue; taxes are the government’s life blood. And yet, it’s all done under the banner of public health and safety. Government can use education or mass media to teach us how to brush our teeth. But they can’t force us to do so. The priceless loss is not money but our freedom. To me, it seems government is taking away our freedom in small doses. Government was made to serve people, not people serving government’s agendas.~

1 COMMENT

  1. It seems you truly know very much pertaining to this specific subject matter and it all demonstrates through this excellent blog post, called “Government:
    AMALAYER? « TWS ’12-13”. I am grateful -Phillipp

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest articles