ILOILO City – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases now allows motorcycle backriding, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the national action plan on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, liked the motorcycle design submitted by Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. that ensured no physical contact between the driver and the backrider, according to Treñas.
He and Galvez talked about motorcycle backriding – initially prohibited by the task force – on June 14.
“Siling ‘ya, ato nga gin-obra ni Governor Defensor okay na ‘to kuno, basta may plastic nga divider,” said the city’s chief executive.
Defensor’s modified motorcycle design featured a divider made of non-porous, transparent material installed between the driver and the backrider. He commissioned a builder in Iloilo City to execute his design using the motorcycle of his staff.
Attached to the divider’s frame was a handle bar that the backrider could grip for a more secure ride.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6, however, has not yet received any order about motorcycle backriding, according to its spokesperson, Riza Otayde.
“As of now wala pa gid kami guidelines or memorandum from the central office, bisan from the Western Visayas inter-agency task force,” she told Panay News.
Otayde, however, clarified that LTO-6 is not so strict about the motorcycle backriding prohibition.
Defensor himself said he was yet to receive word from Galvez or the LTO central office about his motorcycle design unveiled to the public just this June 5.
He submitted his proposal through LTO-6 director Eric Lenard Tabaldo.
As part of the health protocol, said Defensor, both the motorcycle driver and backrider must still wear crash helmets, facemasks and gloves and perform disinfecting procedures immediately before and after the trip.
Defensor thought of this motorcycle modification following public clamor and in consideration of the sentiments of the municipal mayors about the need to allow backriders.
Motorcycles are the primary mode of transportation in the municipalities.
Earlier, the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines – Iloilo Chapter led by San Enrique’s Mayor Enrique Fernandez passed a resolution urging the LTO and Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow backriders on motorcycles.
Defensor himself asked Assistant Secretary Galvante to consider allowing three passengers for tricycles – one passenger at the front seat, one at the back seat and one backrider.
He proposed that a divider made of non-porous and transparent material shall be installed between the front seat and back seat and also a divider between the driver and the backrider.
Under the task force guidelines, only one passenger is allowed for tricycles./PN
