Lawmakers push bike backriding
TWO lawmakers from the House of Representatives asked the government to allow motorcycle backriding amid transportation woes as community quarantine restrictions have been eased.
Quezon City Fifth District Rep. Alfred Vargas said motorcycles could help address the lack of sufficient public transportation, such as buses and jeepneys, for commuting workers.
He added that motorcyle-hailing applications such as Angkas, JoyRide and Move It should be allowed, provided that they follow Department of Health-approved standards such as the use of quality personal protective equipment.
Vargas said people were more prone to acquiring the virus if they waited for a ride for hours and then spent some more time in buses.
“I am aware of the reservations because of the risks of Covid (coronavirus disease 2019) infection. But we are now in the mode of restarting the economy and easing quarantine rules. We have to provide acceptable mobility arrangements for them rather than just open the floodgates for people to go back to the streets and fight for the non-existent public transport,” he explained.
Ang Probinsiyano party-list Rep. Ronnie Ong echoed Vargas’s sentiment, saying motorcycle-riding couples and family members should be allowed to cope with the lack of transportation
“It doesn’t make sense that people who are living, eating and sleeping together in the same house should be apprehended for being in the same vehicle or for riding together in a motorcycle for supposed violation of the rules on physical distancing set by the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force),” he added.
“Sananamanmaintindihanng task force nahindilahatngmga kababayannatinaymaysarilingkotse ng taxi okayangatingmga TNVS (transport network vehicle service). Kailangannatingmabigyanngligtas naalternatibongtransportasyon angmgakababayannatin.Sobrang bugbognapoangkaramihansa atindahilsa Covid pandemic. Bigyan konsiderasyon (I hope the task force would understand that not all of our countrymen have their own cars or can afford taxi or TNVS. We need to give them safe alternative modes of transportation. They have been badly hit by the Covid pandemic. Let us give them some consideration),” Ong continued, noting that in some rural areas, motorcycles were the only mode of transportation.
He said the IATF could issue special identification cards or exemption passes for couples and family members to allow them to travel together during the general community quarantine.