Cebu mayor asks IATF to allow motorcycle backriding

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan asked the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow motorcycle back-rides for his constituents.

“Personally, I would like motorcycle back-riding to be allowed for family members or partners. This is safer than riding in public transportation, where you don’t know the other riders. But we have to abide by the IATF which says that this is illegal. Because of that, we are writing them again to ask for a reconsideration on this, as I understand the sentiments of the people,” said Chan on his official Facebook page. 

The mayor added that motorcycles serve as the primary mode of transportation for the majority of the workers in his city. 

“I am fully aware of the prohibition on back riders in motorcycles under the existing GCQ guidelines. However, it is my humble belief that this mode of transportation should be tapped to lower the gap between the high demand for transportation and the reduced operational capacity of the public utility vehicles. Moreover, per information related to me, some workers feel safer that they are being transported by a family member instead of taking public transportation,” he added.

If approved, Chan’s policy would allow only immediate family members and city residents to backride on a motorcycle, and only when going to and from their workplace. They must also present proof that they are related when questioned by traffic officials.

Businesses and workforces are partly back to their usual operations, but public transport remains highly controlled. 

A limited number of public buses are already allowed to operate during GCQ, while PUJs are still waiting for the go signal from the Land Transportation Office. With limited public transport, much of the riding public has to wait for hours to get a ride to and from work. 

Lapu-Lapu, which is situated in a separate island from mainland Cebu, registered 50 COVID-19 cases as of May 15. Twenty-seven of these already recovered. 

On May 15, the IATF placed the city under a state of general community quarantine (GCQ). Chan issued an executive order dated May 16, 2020 underlining the guidelines of the citywide GCQ.