Governor Arthur Yap reminded the public that a protective divider between the driver and passenger of motorcycles are needed for them to ply the roads together.
Those without the device will still be apprehended, Yap said on Thursday hours after Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Eduardo Año announced that motorcycle backriding will already be permitted starting Friday.
“Sa akong tan-aw bukas dili pa pwede kay magpagama pa sila ng mga acrylic screens and kinahanlan pa ng approval sa mga mayor,” Yap said in an interview over station dyRD’s “Inyong Alagad” program.
“I’m sorry. Dakpon mo gihapon as long as you don’t have the acrylic divider by tomorrow even if backriding is already allowed,” he added.
Año had noted that those living in the same household whether they are married or “boyfriend and girlfriend’’ are considered as couples.
They only need to prove that they are married or are living in the same address by showing their identification cards (ID).
“Kung live in sila, ganun din, the same address din. So there are so many ways para mapatunayan na they are living in the same house,’’ Año said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
Año recognized that the prototype design approved by the Interagency Task Force for the protective divider was submitted by Yap.
“May barrier between rider and passenger pagkatapos may handle sa side nung barrier at the same time kailangan mag wear ng mask at nakahelmet yung rider at passenger,” he said.
Motorcycle backriding was earlier banned nationwide as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
However, the measure was met with heavy criticism from the riding public who have mostly lamented that losing their right to ride their family’s motorcycles forces more people to commute and ride PUVs in which they are seated with more people.
They highlighted that family members live under the same roof while husbands and wives sleep on the same bed but are not allowed to ride a motorcycle together.
This has prompted Yap to submit his acrylic divider proposal to the AITF.
According to Yap, the Capitol has more prototype designs for the protective screens that it will subkit to the national government for approval. (R. Tutas)