The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Rose de la Cruz
A proposal broached by Rep. Reynan Arrogancia (3rd District, Quezon) to impose a curfew on motorcycles inside residential areas, principally gated villages, is both good and impractical.
For one, the riders of motorcycles carry food and other goods ordered online by customers, also of the residential areas and subdivisions, at a certain time of the day and which they expect to receive within a few monutes or hours; or like those motorcycle taxis– they ferry home their customers in the gated villages or subdivisions. In these instances, such a proposal sounds dumb and impractical.
For another, the very nature of their service– either food deliveries or ferrying commuters– cannot be alloted a fixed or limited time at night or day because their business depend on customers inside the gated villages and subdivisions.
It is good because oftentimes, these riders and food deliverers are too noisy talking with their clients on their mobile phones even while in transit to their destination, or the units that they use have loud music and mufflers that instead of reducing the sound of their units, magnify them instead, thus disturbing the peace and quiet of a subdivisions, especailly at night or approaching morning.
What srands out though is the necessity for such motorcycle riders and MC taxis to continue operating– so long as they do not disturb the peace of a given area.
Arrogancia, as vice chair of public order and safety committee of the Houise and vice chair of the transport committee, noted that “muffler noise of motorcycles is also a contentious issue, especially in residential areas and near schools and churches.”
He also suggested specific reflectorized markings and stickers so motorcycles can more safely travel at night and early morning.
He said government and motorcycle makers must find ways to make 400cc motorcycles affordable and available.
“A rational route plan is necessary for motorcycles in the provinces and in the major metropolitan areas. TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) should be given a greater role in certifying drivers of motorcycles and tricycles. The Land Transport Office and TESDA must train motorcycle riders and tricycle drivers to respect all traffic rules and road safety laws.”
Arrogancia also explained that the transport mobility situation in the provinces is very different from the conditions in Metro-Manila, Metro-Cebu, and Metro-Davao.
“In the provinces, most ordinary people cannot afford to buy or rent cars or SUVs. The only affordable way to get from point A to point B is by tricycle and motorcycle. These are the readily available vehicles of the people in the provinces,” he said.
“We need a reasonable set of rules of the road for all motorcycles to follow and for strict local government units and Philippine National Police enforcement. A core set of minimum standards is needed for enforcement by all motorcycle and tricycle regulation offices of LGUs nationwide,” Arrogancia added.