THE local traffic chief in Lapu-Lapu City is calling for an ordinance to regulate bikers, saying the lack of penalties for violations makes enforcement efforts “useless.”
Mario Napule, head of the City Traffic Management System, told SunStar Cebu in an interview on Thursday, June 19, 2025, that bikers are currently exempt from penalties for traffic violations. This is due to the absence of a governing ordinance to hold them accountable. He stressed that without legal backing, authorities cannot apprehend violators or impose any form of discipline.
“It would be better if an ordinance could be created soon so we can regulate bicycles, apprehend violators and impose proper penalties,” Napule said in Cebuano.
Napule’s push for regulation comes after a viral video showed an 18-year-old cyclist recklessly veering his mountain bike into the path of an oncoming truck. This high-risk stunt, caught on video in Barangay Marigondon, prompted significant concern among motorists and led Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan to address the young biker on Wednesday, June 18.
Despite growing concerns over road safety, Napule reiterated the importance of obeying traffic light signals, noting their disregard as a primary cause of accidents. He also advised bikers to use designated bike lanes whenever available.
“We’re appealing to bikers, when you’re on the road, whether it’s a highway, national road, or city street, please stay in the right lane, the farthest right, because that’s the proper lane for bicycles,” Napule urged in Cebuano. “Don’t stay in the middle of the road, because it’s dangerous, especially when vehicles are moving fast.”
He also shared plans to organize a seminar offering free defensive driving training for both private and public utility drivers. He aims to encourage wider participation once sufficient funding becomes available. / NECOLYN CLAIRE BALANSAG, CNU INTERN