MANILA – Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced on Thursday the relaxation of the motorcycle rule by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases after it approved a proposal by Bohol Governor Arthur Yap for pillion (side or back passenger seat) riding as long as the motorcycle is equipped with a plastic barrier between the driver and the back rider.
Aside from the plastic barrier or a divider, the IATF decision requires the driver and the passenger to be married couples but not live-in partners and siblings. It may be appropriately called “conjugal riding” because according to Año, riders must show identification card and their marriage certificate when stopped by authorities. He also said that it might be allowed to unmarried couples as long as they lived in the same house, which they could prove by having the same address.
However, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that the relief applied only to married couples in areas of the country under moderate community quarantine. He further said authorities would ask couples to show proof of marriage, such as a photocopy of their marriage contract. “The relaxed rule applies only to private motorcycle owners. It is not applicable to motorcycle drivers for ride-hailing companies,” he said.
But while the decision of the IATF is praised by motorcycle riders, not all of them agreed on the design proposed by Gov. Yap. Senator Bong Revilla, a motorcycle enthusiast said the proposed design of the governor is “fundamentally unsafe.” He said, “the barrier will interfere with the motorcycle’s balance, which could lead to a crash.”
This is also the position of the Riders’ Safety Advocates of the Philippines. In a live radio-TV interview on Friday, retired Police Col. Bonifacio Laquibosita said although they appreciate the action of the president and the IATF on the appeal of bike riders they do not agree on the approved barrier because of several reasons.
“Ang unang-una po ay ang karagdagang gastos sa kapatid na riders na nagigipit sa pamumuhay. Ikalawa po ay hindi naman ito talaga epektibo para sa magandang layunin. Ang ikatlo na pinakabigat po ay tunay na nalalagay sa peligro ang ating kapatid na riders,” he said. (First is the additional expenses that may be incurred by riders who are hard up. The second, this is not effective to respond to the purpose. And third, which is more important, is the danger it poses to the riders.)
Other riders suggested that instead to use seat barriers and alter the design of motorcycles (which is disallowed by the Land Transportation Office), it is better to require the passengers to use full-shield helmet aside from wearing face masks and maintaining good hygiene.
