'Anti-Pasaway' bill penalizes Pinoys not falling in lines

MANILA, Philippines - Two legislators have proposed a law that seeks to punish Filipinos committing "pasaway" acts such as cutting in or breaking lines.

Ako Bikol Party-list Reps. Christopher Co and Rodel Batocabe have filed House Bill 3953 or the Anti-Pasaway Act of 2014 which aims to enforce peace and order and instill the values of timeliness, courteousness, discipline, patience and respect among citizens.

"Public discipline is very important. Everybody, 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 in violence," the authors said.

They said the bill adheres to the "anti-wang-wang" policy of the Aquino administration since it prohibits the use of any position of power, social status, prominence or reputation to cut in, break up, or disrupt the order of a line.

Under the measure, the following acts shall constitute the offense of cutting in lines:

• overtly or covertly entering a line at any position other than the end or using any instrument or scheme to save a slot or space in a line
• breaking up a line or employing devices and schemes to disrupt the order and cause confusion as to the order persons in physical or virtual queue
• making 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 line
• employing devices, schemes, and deceit in order to cut in, break up, or disrupt the order of a line
• knowingly giving consent to the mentioned acts by allowing another person to insert, cut in, break up or disrupt the order of a line

According to the proposed law, the areas where people are needed to form a line should have a signage or written notice posted indicating the existence of and requiring the formation of a line.

Exempted from this measure are senior citizens, pregnant women and persons who need immediate goods and services by reason of health, national security or public interest.

Those who would violate this potential law will face either a P10,000 fine or one month imprisonment or both.

In areas where an emergency or calamity have been declared, violators will be meted with a higher fine of up to P25,000 or six months imprisonment. -Louis Bacani