The working draft ordinance no.

938 also known as the ordinance regulating motorcycle

riding-in-tandem in Mandaluyong City has many questions to be answered and exemptions to be
enumerated. The proposed ordinance should be a regulation against all riding in tandem only
residing in Mandaluyong City and not against all travellers. The proposed ordinance will restrict
any non-resident traveller just passing by the EDSA and the main roads of the city that links to the
suburb cities of Mandaluyong.
Believing that the proposed ordinance will be a big boon in the fight against crimes, the
Land Transportation Office (LTO) should have collaborative efforts in the formulation of further
guidelines, rules and regulations from the effective implementation and sustained enforcement of
the said ordinance because they are the one who has the right to impound motorcycles that is
considered as an instrument of the offense or crime and PNP should also point out the exact time in
the morning and in the evening agreed, to put up checkpoints from specific areas, that are prone to
accidents and vulnerable to crimes, to stop all men riding in tandem, those who have improperly-
placed plates, those who has high speed limits, those violating the helmet law. The PNP should also
check if the motorcycle driver and the back rider is carrying any unlicensed firearms or any other
illegal and deadly weapon/s. There should be safety nets to be introduced such as one or two of the
riders of the motorcycle must be a registered driver; they should possessed a copy of the official OR
and CR of the motorcycle, one of them should also be the owner of the said motorcycle; both of the
riders should wear helmets; and that not one of them is under the influence of liquor or drugs.
All motorcycles plying said roads should likewise carry only one back rider, except in cases
of emergency or motorcycle exhibitions. The proposed penalties of both motorcycle driver and back
rider violating this ordinance shall only be penalized with a fine in 1
st
offense and a fine or
imprisonment or both at the discretion of the court in the 2
nd
offense for it will be against the
human rights of the innocent offender if he will be imprisoned in the first offense.
The proposed ordinance is "not only unconstitutional but also anti-worker to some people
to some people." Most of the blue collar workers used motorcycles as popular mode of their
transportation from their respective home to their working place because it is more affordable and
they could weave through heavy traffic in the major roads of Mandaluyong City. Most of the
government employees, including members of the Philippine National Police and the Metropolitan
Manila Development Authority, ride motorcycles too. There should be window hours with respect
to motorcycle riders with a backride who uses their motorcycle in going to their work place. We
may say that motorcycles have been used in crimes, but not all riders are criminals, and thus do not
deserve a person of interest, kind of profiling. Solving street crimes must be a collective effort.
One way to do is for law enforcers to be in close coordination with legitimate, organized
riders clubs, not by intimidating them. It is discriminating against a legitimate motorcycle rider to
be questioned especially when the motorcycle driver has a cousin or a brother back rider because
the ordinance prohibits a back rider who is not a spouse or relative within the first degree of
consanguinity. It would be unfair for the employee-employer relationship whenever the employer
is the back rider of the employee. Riding-in-tandem in itself is not a crime. The rights of motorcycle
riders have to be respected when they're being scrutinized at checkpoints.
The LGU should concentrate more on INTELLIGENCE, POLICE VISIBILITY, and
INFORMATION AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS for a more informed aware and vigilant community.
They should train policemen on how to ride motorcycles and assign them on patrol 24/7; Institute
a community crime watch program that would include providing information to the police; Get
more policemen on patrol. This is aside from proper and legal checkpoints. More police visibility
is a crime deterrent; Get all local government units to invest on CCTV (closed-circuit television) for
their respective areas; Invest in advanced scientific crime-solving methods. Our LGU should have to
have a stronger legal framework so it can effectively and efficiently respond to this riding in tandem
phenomenon.
The draft ordinance should enumerate a more brief and concise framework and a more
detailed procedure like what the province of Pangasianan has in their ordinance. They should also
consider exemptions for pregnant women, senior citizens and children of the motorcycle rider. The
working draft ordinance is illaudable measure once it is polish and all the concerns of our citizens
are fully addressed because if that crafted so well, many law forms are in it that might make the
ordinance to others and sceptics as unconstitutional but it is just a time bounded experimental as it
is only good for 6 months.