Photo from CityofPines.com
In psychology, Ivan Pavlov developed classical conditioning, in which a stimulus is paired with another stimulus to elicit a desired response. This must be what the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is inspired by, when it developed a new mandate in the Cordillera region: motorists who are seen wearing their seat belts will be given free lunch.
According to Atty. Jose Eduardo Natividad, the regional director of DOTr Cordillera, “Dalawang paraan para matuto ang tao. Isa is through reward and isa is punishment. Saka kapag kasi nakita nila itong mga enforcer, ang iniisip nila manghuhuli lang, pero sa totoo lang, gusto namin silang matuto” (“There are two ways for a person to learn. One is through getting a reward and the other is through punishment. A lot of people think they’re in trouble when they see a traffic enforcer about to flag them down, but we really just want them to learn”).
The approach is definitely different from their usual tactic: those who are caught not wearing seat belts are fined P1,000 to P5,000, in accordance with Republic Act 8750 or the Seat Belts Use Act of 1999.
Should this be applied to Metro Manila, too? Share your thoughts below!
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