Duterte can’t excempt Cebu: ‘Backriding’ move aborted

CEBU, Philippines —  Commuters in Cebu Province will have to bear the agony of inadequate public transportation further while the province is still under general community quarantine (GCQ). 

Yesterday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he cannot exempt the province from the ban on ‘backriding’ on motorcycles imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) while the country is on quarantine because of COVID-19.

Duterte said he understands the hardships of commuting during this time but he cannot grant the favor to Cebu.

“Pag binigyan ko kayo (Cebu) ng exemption, the others will follow (If I exempt you, the others will follow),” he said.

In a virtual address to the nation, Duterte also said exempting Cebu Province from the rule would open him up to graft charges and will be discriminatory, considering that other local government units still observe the ban.

“Alam mo, for one, mga Cebuano nanalo ako sa Cebu by… binigyan ninyo ako ng boto na makalilisang. You supported me to the hilt, and one of the factors that gave me the victory in the presidential elections, but alam mo, as much as I would really like to accommodate Governor Garcia and the Board members, here’s what I can say: If I begin to give an exemption to one, I will open myself to charges of anti-graft law,” Duterte said.

(You know, I won in Cebu… you have me an overwhelming number of votes and supported me to the hilt… one of the factors that gave me the victory in the presidential elections but, you know, as much as I would really like to accommodate Governor Garcia and the Board members, here’s what I can say: If I begin to give an exemption to one, I will open myself to charges of anti-graft law.)

Order Withdrawn

With Duterte’s decision, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia withdrew her executive order, which would have allowed ‘backriding’ on private motorcycles to ease the burden of commuters during the GCQ.

“Motuman ko sa desisyon sa atong Presidente (I will abide by the decision of the president)," Garcia said.

She said her order was in response to the plea of commuters.

"Ang akong request, dili ni alang kanako nga akong hangyo. Actually, ako lang ang nahimong conduit sa… milyon-milyon nga Sugboanon ang hilabihan gyud intawn na-inconvenience ani," she said.

(It was not just my own request. Actually, I was just a conduit of the millions of Cebuanos who are inconvenienced by the situation.)

Being under GCQ means some non-essential business establishments have re-opened and more and more workers have hit the streets to go to work.

For remote areas in the province, however, motorcycles remain the only doable means of transportation. Roads often are too narrow for the preferred public utility buses (PUBs) or even public utility jeepneys (PUJs).

Continued Appeal

Garcia said the province will continue to appeal to IATF-MEID.

"Padayon atong paghangyo (We will continue to appeal)," Garcia said.

This request also supports the province's appeal to graduate to a modified GCQ, something that IATF Region 7 has already endorsed to its national counterpart.

Garcia’s brother, Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, said he respects the governor’s decision and will examine further in Congress the "anti-poor" implication of the no ‘backriding’ policy.

"We continue to admire and support her brave and passionate effort to lift this clearly anti-poor restriction on the right of travel and to make a living. In Congress, we will continue to question the rationale for this policy and will continue to appeal to the President's pro-poor sentiments so he could perhaps revisit and reverse this policy," Pablo John said.

He added that he will continue to work for broader autonomy for local government units. He said LGUs are more immersed with their constituency, thus, are the first to get feedback from the public.

"On the local level, you see, the feedback is almost instantaneous, and feedback is essential to good policy. On the IATF national level, there is no sufficient and immediate feedback, and there is seldom one single policy that would fit all local circumstances. I think that's why LGU officials were elected in the first place," he said.

Board Member Glenn Soco, for his part, said he believes the national government understands the purpose of Garcia's EO.

"We are confident that the national leadership understands the objective of the EO and the proposed ordinance.  At the end of the day, what is important as public servants is that we ensure the protection and welfare of the people.  As always, we follow and support the President in his leadership," Soco said.

The Provincial Board was supposed to convene yesterday, Friday, to pass an ordinance to enforce the governor’s order.

Show Cause

Last June 3, Garcia agreed with mayors to allow ‘backriding’ in the province as long as it does not come with a fee and will be limited to one passenger per motorcycle.

The following day, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III asked Garcia withdraw her EO, as it is against IATF guidelines. He said the ban on backriding is based on "scientific" data.

Densing said DILG will be forced to issue a show cause order against Garcia if she would not retract the order.

DILG’s its Memorandum Circular 2020-083 states that while motorcycles are allowed during the GCQ period, drivers cannot take on passengers. The memorandum was addressed to governors, and city and municipal mayor, among other officials.

But Garcia has said that based on Republic Act 4136, backriding in private motorcycles is not prohibited. She said no law has been passed in Congress to support the prohibition.  JMO (FREEMAN)