GenSan Backs Lifting of Ban vs. Motorcycle Back Riders

The city government of General Santos in Mindanao is ready to implement necessary safety measures should the national government decide to allow back-riders again for private motorcycles.

Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Monday the local government will fully comply with relevant guidelines that may be issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on the motorcycle back-riding policy, which the national government has disallowed as part of the containment measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Rivera said the local government supports the lifting of the ban on back riders, even only for close relatives and those living in the same house.

The move was earlier backed by the Region 12 (Soccssksargen) Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) on COVID-19 through a resolution.

Rivera acknowledged that single motorcycles are currently the main transportation for most households in the city and other neighboring areas in Region 12.

"There’s really no reason to ban family members from the same household, especially couples, from riding a motorcycle together," he said in a radio interview.

But he assured that they respect the earlier decision of the IATF-EID to ban tandem riding on motorcycles and will continue to implement the measure unless it is officially lifted.

In this city, dozens of motorcycle riders have already been apprehended and penalized for breaking the rule.

Macario Gonzaga, Land Transportation Office-Region 12 director, said they have received numerous complaints from residents regarding the ban on back riders as a physical distancing measure againstCOVID-19.

Gonzaga said several local government units in the region have also made appeals to the agency regarding such policy.

"Many residents have long been using motorcycles in moving around, especially for work and livelihood. There are also areas wherein it is the only means of transportation," he said.

Gonzaga said they expect the national government to come up with the guidelines soon regarding the lifting of the ban.

Malacanang earlier said the task force was trying to determine the safest and most effective manner to maintain physical distancing when riding motorcycles.