As the deadline for installing motorcycle barriers ends today, the Philippine National Police (PNP), in coordination with the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 led by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and its implementing arm, the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, has released a guideline on the enforcement of the rules on motorcycle pillion riding.
Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, Commander of the JTF COVID Shield, said all police commanders across the country have already been informed to properly and strictly enforce the rules on motorcycle back-riding starting August 1.
“For more than three weeks, we were just warning and advising the violators to comply until July 31. As the grace period ends today, we expect that all motorcycle riders have already complied in order for them to avoid inconvenience as they go to work and ride back home,” said PLt. Gen. Eleazar.
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año, however, emphasized earlier that not all motorcycles are required to install barriers.
“Hindi naman sila pinipilit na mag-install ng motorcycle barriers. Pero kung ayaw nilang mag-install ay huwag silang mag-aangkas ng kahit sino dahil huhulihin talaga sila,” said SILG Año.
The NTF Against COVID-19, through SILG Año who is also the Vice Chairman of the NTF, approved the request of motorcycle riders to allow them to back-ride their partners on their way to work and back home amid the limitations on public transportations.
But SILG Año said that rules must be set in order to ensure that pillion riding would not be abused, stating that some motorcycle riders may back-ride anybody and would even use back-riding to earn money.
Based on the rules, only married and live-in partners are allowed to back-ride. In addition, a barrier must be installed based on the approved designs by the NTF Against COVID-19 for the protection of both the riders and back-riders from coronavirus infection.
SILG Año’s apprehensions proved to be true as a total of 29,444 motorcycle riders were accosted in various parts of the country during the three-week grace period since pillion riding was allowed on July 10. They were all accosted for back-riding people other than their spouses or live-in partners.
Based on the guideline issued by the PNP Directorate for Operations in coordination with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and as approved by PNP Chief, Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa, all police commanders and the PNP Highway Patrol Group are instructed to start apprehending violators starting August 1 using penalties that range from P1,000 to P10,000 as fine.
Here are the guideline issued by the PNP through Director for Operations, Police Major General Emmanuel Luis Licup who is also the Vice Chairman of the JTF COVID Shield, for pillion riding:
1. All drivers and passengers must wear face masks and helmets at all times;
2. Maximum of two persons per motorcycle must be allowed, provided that they are couples living in the same household. Provided further that the valid IDs and related documents shall be presented as proof that said persons are living together, married, and/or in a mutual relationship (common law wife, boyfriend, girlfriend); and
3. A safety barrier/shield whose design is duly-approved by the IATF National Task Force COVID-19 must be placed between the driver and the passenger.
PMGEN Licup said that failure to comply on the rules that include the safety gears such as helmets will have corresponding penalties under the following circumstances:
1. For not wearing face masks, helmets and non-installation of the approved barriers, they would fall under Reckless Driving with penalties ranging from P1,000 to P10,000 depending on the number of the same offense committed;
2. For those who are not authorized to back-ride (those who are not married or living-in partners), the penalty would fall under Overloading of Passengers with a penalty of P1,000
3. For drivers who are not classified as Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR), the violation would fall under Driving Without a Valid License which has a fine of P3,000; and
4. And for other violations, appropriate laws would be used to sanction the violators.
The PNP personnel were also tasked to coordinate with LTO in their respective areas of responsibility for the conduct of joint operations against the violators.
PLt. Gen. Eleazar also appealed to the motorcycle riders to follow the rules on pillion riding since their compliance is a big factor when the NTF Against COVID-19 started the review on whether or not more people would be allowed to back-ride.
“As per the NTF Against COVID-19, limiting the back-riders to married and live-in partners will serve as a test case to observe how motorcycle riders would comply with the rules to prevent COVID-19. The speed of the approval for more people to be allowed in back-riding depends on your compliance with the existing rules so let us just comply,” said PLt. Gen. Eleazar.
PLt. Gen. Eleazar, for his part, underscored to the motorcycle riders to include the barrier as part of the minimum health safety protocols.
“Even in public utility vehicles and mass transport system, health safety protocols are being implemented for the protection of the riding public such as wearing of face masks, observing the proper physical distancing and installation of plastic barriers to separate the commuters,” said PLt. Gen. Eleazar.
“Let us conform to these rules set by the NTF Against COVID-19 as part of our regular health safety protocols to protect ourselves from the coronavirus infection,” he added.
