Motorcycle barrier rules eased under general community quarantine
MANILA, Philippines — Motorcycle barriers, which experts have long been warning could be dangerous, are no longer a requirement for back-riders with the re-imposition of general community quarantine, and back-riders no longer have to be romantic partners, the quarantine enforcement task force said Wednesday.
Since July, motorcycle back-riding was only permitted for romantic partners living together with motorcycle barriers installed, while relatives, employees or friends who were also living together and had installed barriers were not allowed to back-ride.
In a statement sent to reporters, the Joint Task Force COVID Shield said that riders are still required to wear full-face helmets and face masks, while the backrider must also be an authorized person outside residence (APOR). The motorcycle must also be privately owned and that the owner or the driver must not use the motorcycle for hire.
If they do not live in the same house, however, the barrier is still a requirement.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, JTF CV Shield commander, said: "They have to show proof, either identification card, certification from the barangay or any document showing that both the rider and the back-rider have the same address in order to avoid being apprehended and cited for violation of the rules on pillion riding."
"We will try to normalize the motorcycle pillion riding but this should be done gradually in order to prevent abuses by some hard-headed riders,” he also said.
Earlier, the Motorcycle Philippines Federation said that the required barriers may affect the aerodynamics of the motorcycle by causing wind dragging and wind lifting, making rides potentially dangerous.
However, the task force continued to apprehend and penalize riders caught without barriers, calling them "defiant" and "stubborn." Some were even arrested for "being disrespectful to the arresting officers."
“Although it is no longer required, the use of the prescribed barrier is still advised because what we are preventing here is the mass infection within the family. Once one family member is infected, it is usually certain that the rest of the family members would suffer so we advise motorcycle riders to still take precautionary measures," Eleazar said.
'Barrier to common sense'
In a statement issued Wednesday, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said: "The barrier to common sense has finally been lifted."
"No IATF rule triggered the greatest resistance and launched the most jokes. And the fact that they stonewalled for a long time and stubbornly defended it, despite evidence to the contrary, inflicted damage on their reputation. People were saying that if IATF can't understand this simple thing, how can they be trusted on complex missions," he added.
He also said that the barrier design of motorcycle ride-hailing app Angkas “should not be patented.”
Based on the data of the JTF COVID Shield, a total of 57,973 motorcycle riders were warned and cited for violation of the rules on pillion riding since motorcycle back-riding was allowed on July 10 until August 18.
An acrylic motorcycle barrier like this costs around P600-P700 | @rosette_adel pic.twitter.com/R6B9GmlvCb
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) August 18, 2020
Other regions and provinces in the Philippines considered moderate and low-risk areas will be placed under general community quarantine starting May 1. Bookmark this page for updates. (Main image by The STAR/Edd Gumban)
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