MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators (PCTO) is supporting proposed measures to ban the use of mobile phones while driving.

PCTO members include the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Co., Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, Piltel, Innove, Digitel, Bayantel, Capwire, Eastern Telecoms, Extelcom, Philcom and PT&T.

Two bills filed with the House of Representatives seek to ban the use of mobile phones by motorists.

These are House Bill 1625 or the “Cell Phone Safety Act” filed by Pampanga representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and House Bill No 4917 or “An Act to Prohibit and Penalize Reading, Composing and Sending Electronic Messages while Driving, and for Other Purposes” filed by Buhay Party list representatives Irwin Tieng, Rene Velarde and Ma. Carissa Coscolluela.

Both measures aim to prevent vehicular accidents and help protect lives by forbidding motorists from using their mobile phones while on board a moving vehicle, PCTO said in a statement.

Under the proposed legislation, placing or receiving calls and sending and receiving text messages is not allowed for both private and public vehicle drivers.

But motorists using hands-free devices and speaker phone function to make and receive calls are exempted, according to PCTO.

The Land Transportation Office would be tapped to implement this act with the assistance of the National Telecommunications Commission and other concerned agencies.

These measures are proposing to impose penalties of up to six months of imprisonment and fines ranging from P200 up to P100, 000.

Among those exempted from these proposed measures are law enforcers while performing official functions, authorized drivers of ambulances and rescue vehicles while on duty, persons responding to emergency cases or rendering public service and TV and radio news reporters.