MARCH 18, 2014

NR # 3409B

Anti-Pasaway Act of 2014 proposed

Party-list lawmakers have proposed to penalize by imprisonment and fines acts of cutting in line, breaking lines and other related acts which are commonly referred to as pasaway for lack of discipline. Ako ikol Partylist !eps. "hristopher #. "o and !odel $. known as the Anti-Pasaway Act of )*+,. awal na dapat ang mga pasaway, the authors stressed. Public discipline is very important. -verybody, one way or the other, have witnessed or are guilty of cutting lines which is really irritating and sometimes the cause of arguments that also result to violence, the authors said. .he bill defines a line as a physical line of persons or inanimate ob/ects owned or possessed by persons formed for any of the purposes of providing, procuring, accepting or receiving goods or services, with or without consideration. 0nder % &'(&, the following acts shall constitute the offense of "utting in 1ines or Pasaway 2 3a4 5vertly or covertly enter a line at any position other than the end which may include /oining others in the line or using any instrument or scheme to save a slot or space in a line6 3b4 break up a line or employ devices and schemes to disrupt the order and cause confusion as to the order persons in physical or virtual line6 3c4 make use of any physical force, threats, intimidation or influence by virtue of power, social status, prominence, or reputation to cut in, break up, or disrupt the order of a line6 or 3d4 employ devices, schemes, and deceit in order to cut in, break up, or disrupt the order of a line6 3e4 7nowingly giving consent to the foregoing acts by allowing another person to insert, cut in, break up or disrupt the order of a line. %owever, the lawmakers clarified that, in all the mentioned instances, there is a signage or written notice posted at the premises of the goods or service-provider indicating the e8istence and re9uiring the formation of a line. Provided further, that should the line consists of inanimate ob/ects such as motor vehicles, boats, pails, containers, bags, sacks and other ob/ects used for providing, procuring, accepting or receiving of goods or services, with or without consideration, the owner or possessor who is in control of such inanimate ob/ects shall be directly liable. Provided, however, that senior citizens defined under !.A. ''',, persons with disabilities defined in !.A :o. ;,&), pregnant women and persons who by reason of health, national security or public interest need immediate goods and<or services, are e8empt from the provisions of the proposed law. .he bill provides that any person who shall violate the provisions of the Anti-Pasaway Act shall suffer the penalty of one 3+4 month imprisonment or a fine not e8ceeding P+*,*** or both at the discretion of the court. #hould the offense be committed where there is a declaration of emergency or calamity in the area as declared by the local government unit or by the appropriate government agency authorized by law, the penalty of si8 3=4 months imprisonment or a fine not e8ceeding P)*,*** or both shall be imposed at the discretion of the court. 3&*4 dpt atocabe are authors of % &'(& to be