October 14 to 20, 2012

Helmets get ICC stickers

Approved. DTI-6 Product Standard Officer Reginald Hudierez, standing at far left of table, heads the local inspection and accreditation team in distributing ICC stickers for motorcycle helmets at the City Auditorium on October 17.                                      

Photo Source: Dateline City Hall

Hundreds flocked to the City Auditorium to have their motorcycle helmets approved and marked.

Department of Trade and Industry-Bacolod Field Office came to San Carlos to inspect motorcycle helmets and put stickers on those which qualify industry standards on October 17.

City Mayor Gerardo Valmayor, Jr. invited DTI “to assist our motocycle riding community in obtaining a certification from DTI for their helmets.”

Pass or fail

Of the hundreds who came with two or more of the safety headgears, only 298 gained the DTI approval due to several factors. Reginald Hudierez, Product Standards Officer, DTI Region 6, said that helmets which sustained damages from wear and tear or from accidents can no longer be certified as well as those which no longer have locks or straps, without foam or with brittle or disintegrated foams, those which had been painted, and those without brand stickers or tags.

Kevlar helmets and those for biking or for combat are not allowed for motorcycle riding.

Accepted brands

Based on DTI's list, there are only 57 brands of helmet which had been thoroughly tested. If a brand is not in the list, enforcers are allowed to confiscate it once the Land Transportation Office's moratorium on the Helmet Law is lifted.

DTI will also not approve helmets with defaced brand names or those with no more brand tags because they can't be traced to the manufacturer should malfunction occur.

Hudierez futher explained that until the end of November DTI is accepting walk-in motorcycle riders and owners in various field offices such as in Bacolod City for testing and approval of helmets. By January 2013, motorcycle retailers are already mandated to make available helmets with ICC stickers for those buying units.

In the meantime, DTI and the local government resolved to post a list of standard tested and approved helmets to serve as guide for the public. Hudierez advised that to reduce hassle, the public should only buy helmets which are for motorcycle riding and with ICC stickers.