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Motorcycle riders are now felons

Posted on 26. Jun, 2007 by dimaks in Life, News, Sports

« 31 Different Ways To Tie Your Shoes More on the Ordinance Regarding Sticking License Plate Numbers on Motorcycle Riders Helmets »

Update:
Motorcycle Philippines Federation Inc. met with Chairman Fernando. Watch the video attached.

Times like when the metro is busy wrestling with multi-faceted villains causing the chaotic traffic jams, supposed to come up with more realistic and at the basic, following the simple act of people consultation, is also the perfect scene where your local newspaper rams into you eyes saying motorcycle riders are now felons plying the busy streets of Metro Manila.

I came to know about this through ABS-CBN’s website and the Motorcycle Philippines June 25, 2007 article entry. The news and article spoke about the new resolution passed by the policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) requiring all motorcycle owners and riders to put the license plate numbers of their motorcycle on both sides of their helmets to curb snatching and robberies perpetrated by motorcycle-riding men in Metro Manila.

Fernando said those who attended the council meeting include Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., outgoing Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio Sr., Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar, Marikina City Vice Mayor Marion Andres representing Mayor Marides Fernando and representatives of the other Metro mayors and of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He suggested that the Metro mayors enact a common resolution stipulating that the failure to put the license plate numbers on the helmets of motorcycle owners and riders should be treated as a criminal offense and not as a mere traffic violation to thwart criminals from using motorcycles in the commission of crimes. (Philstar.com)

Great! I was just wondering, were there any procedures done conforming to public consultations? I mean, asking the motorcycle riding public? considering that there is now a legally registered Motorcycle Philippines Federation Inc. with members coming from all across the country’s regions? Or this is just another of the set that we may call a knee-jerk approach to the metropolitan transportation and traffic issues. Wow men! iba na pala ang bill of rights natin sa ‘pinas. Dati, “innocent until proven guilty” ngayon “guilty until proven innocent” (to barrow Dr.Scoots lines).

Would not one wish to see some decent researches or statistics, facts and figures as the bases of this resolution? Would not one wish to see thoroughly assessed merits and demerits of things that brought this resolution to proposition?

I would like to barrow some comments from the motorcycle philippines website;

if i am a criminal, all i have to do is to stick something like a post-it to the “helmet plate” while commiting a crime. another stupid regulation that needs immediate counter measures. we must do something about this.
Jiggy | June 25th, 2007 at 3:56 pm

Right! just like putting bogus car plates while car napping. And it is supposed to “thwart criminals”.

ayos.. pwede ko nang ipakopya sa sticker ang kahit na anong plate numbers ng motor tapos pwede ko nang i-motornap
asyong | June 26th, 2007 at 1:23 am

I think asyong has a point. Why not? Even franchises are getting faked in the metro, how much more with the stickers?

A simple question, what if you have 2 or 3 motorcycles?

@k3.. or worse..
what if you only have one helmet and 2 MCs? so you have to buy 2 helmets then. what if your wife ride with you most of the time? then u have to own 4 helmets then.
ec | June 25th, 2007 at 11:46 am

Additional burden for the poor fellows who chose to buy motorcycles for economic and convenience purposes. Anyway, let’s see what this resolution (once fully implemented) has in store for the kotong personalities.

Now I am wondering what will be next.

Tags: Helmet, metro manila, MMDA ordinance, motorcycles, motorcyclist