Several candidates signed a covenant on Sunday dubbed the “Rider’s Agenda” that included, among other demands, a vow to legalize motorcycle taxis — a thorny issue with a slim chance of being resolved by the current Congress despite widespread public support. ADVERTISEMENTCongressional bets Ruffy Biazon and Cristal Bagatsing, and the Partido Manggagawa party-list also signed the covenant that was crafted by Riders of the Philippines, an alliance of thousands of riders who attended Sunday’s assembly. The covenant also signaled a decisive effort by motorcycle group leaders to organize their members into a cohesive community for politicians to court. Likewise included is a demand for legislators to support a “Motorcycle Road Safety Act” that will create national standards for governing motorcycle use, as well as a call to oppose any measure that will prevent riders from wearing safety gear like face masks. Eric Lazarte of Philippine Advocates for Road Safety lamented that projects often prioritized car owners at their expense, such as road widening works that led to decreased space for those on motorcycles or bicycles.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 17, 2019 21:00 UTC