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Friday, April 28, 2006
Only 1 passenger for bikes starting May 2
AS PART of an amended ordinance, motorcycles will only be allowed to carry one passenger starting May 2.
The ordinance, which was approved by City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on March 13, is expected to affect the illegal "habal-habal" operators and a growing number of motorcycle owners.
Ordinance 0189 is an amendment of Ordinance 737 and "requires drivers and riders of single motorcycles plying along the city streets and national highways within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City to wear crash helmets while operating or riding said motorcycles, limiting the number of backrider or riders thereof to only one person; strictly prohibiting the use of single motorcycles as public transport units or conveyances, and imposing penalties for violations thereof."
Traffic Management Center chief Celso Gempesaw said the ordinance should have been implemented April 19 but he requested its enforcement be moved later to give time for the public, especially motorcycle users and habal-habal operators and drivers to be properly informed.
"We assure them there will be no apprehensions before May 2," Gempesaw said during a press conference Thursday.
Section 3 of the ordinance prohibits the non-wearing of crash helmets or other protective headgear by drivers while driving single motorcycles and the accommodation of more than one passenger to ride on single motorcycles.
The same section also requires the "backrider" to wear a helmet as well. It prohibits soliciting passengers for a fee or using the motorcycle as public transport and disallows children below eight years old from being taken for ride on these two-wheeled vehicles.
"This is intended to crack down on habal-habal operators," Gemepesaw said.
According to him, there are more or less 14,000 habal-habal operators in Davao City.
Gempesaw said anyone caught violating section 3 of the said ordinance will be charged.
First offenders will be fined P1,000, second time offenders -- P2,000 and third time offenders -- P3,000.
Until the fines are not paid, the motorcycle of the erring driver will be impounded at the TMC, he said.
The City Treasurer's Office, he added, will collect all the fines and provide receipts after the offender has paid.
"The main objective of this ordinance is to protect human lives. We really don't want to arrest anyone so we are hoping everyone will just obey the law," Gempesaw said.
Meanwhile, since operating a habal-habal is already a source of income for several Dabawenyos, City Legal Office (CLO) Traffic Regulation Division officer-in-charge Joseph S. Felizarta advised habal-habal operators and drivers to turn their habal-habal motorcycles into tricycles, which is legal and a lot safer.
"They will just have to find an area to operate their tricycles in where there are franchises available," said Felizarta, also one of the guests in the same press conference.
Felizarta said habal-habal operators can apply for a franchise at the CLO to make their operation legal and get final approval from the City Franchising Regulatory Board chaired by the mayor. (BRQ)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (April 28, 2006 issue)
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