Mandaue City to amend bonnet ordinance

CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue City Council will amend the ordinance banning the use of face mask and bonnets while riding motorcycles in the streets of the city.

Decreasing the P5,000 penalty, exclusion of tricycles from the city ordinance and concerns about health are among the points that need to be discussed by the members of the city council, said City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna yesterday afternoon.

"Right now, the council is aware and mindful of all these complaints that we have been receiving lately as to the implementation of no bonnet, no mask ordinance for motorcycle riders and the passenger," Fortuna told reporters in an interview.

The ordinance, which was approved by the city council and was signed by Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing in November last year, caused an uproar to motorcycle drivers who aired their rants on social media.

Quisumbing recently said that the ordinance would help deter crimes related to shooting incidents which, according to police reports, were mostly carried out by motorcycle-riding assailants.

Fortuna, on the other hand, added that they will get the assessment from the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) and from the Mandaue City Police Office about the ordinance.

He said the measures that were introduced principally not as a traffic regulation but was imposed as an initiative to curb incidents related to motorcycle-riding assailants.

Fortuna said the concerns about health will be tackled soon and the council will review the matter.

"We set in motion the process of review and eventual amendment. We will consolidate everything," he said.

"We find some of these complaints are valid particularly those passengers who have health conditions that require them to wear protective gear. In fact the other day, someone really even came here to show she was taking medication, why she has to wear a surgical mask," Fortuna added.

The inclusion of tricycles in the ordinance, meanwhile, should be also be excluded from it because, from the time when the ordinance was introduced last year, its intention was for the riding on motorcycles.

With the penalty, Fortuna said the city council considers the reduction of the fee, as he finds it expensive.

Those motorcycle riders passing by the city, particularly those non-residents of Mandaue, were shocked over the excessive penalty, which is almost eating up their salaries.

"We will open that up for discussion," Fortuna said, who is yet to determine as to how much they will decrease the penalty.

The city council, as well as the city government, is looking for ways to justify the ordinance.

"The council will continue to look out options because we know that this is not a perfect regulation and the intent to find a way to have a more effective response to preventing hitmen from doing their notorious activity," Fortuna said. — GAN (FREEMAN)