Gov Gwen Appeals to Allow Motorcycle Backriding

Although she withdrew the executive order allowing “backriding”, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday said she is still appealing to President Rodrigo Duterte to allow motorcycle riders to carry a passenger.

Garcia said she is not giving up on her position to allow back riding on private motorcycles, noting the mounting clamors from the public since Cebu province was placed under general community quarantine (GCQ).

The governor recalled Executive Order No. 19 she issued on June 3, saying that she respected the decision of the President to prohibit back riding in order to prevent contamination of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) between the driver and the back rider who could not maintain physical distancing during travel.

“The President is the highest of all the officials. He was also elected by the people. He is also my president. That’s why I will follow what he says. I have to respect the decision of the President,” she was quoted as saying in Cebuano on Monday in the capitol’s official information site.

According to Sugbonews, Garcia will still continue to plead on Duterte’s “good heart,” even as she said the President “is known to be pro-poor”.

Duterte turned down the decision of Cebu Province allowing backriding, saying in a taped message aired last Thursday that “much as I would like really to accommodate Governor Garcia and the board members, here’s what can I say. If I begin to give an exemption to one…I will open myself (to) charges of anti-graft law, giving undue advantage to the other to the prejudice of another”.

Garcia urged Cebuanos to just wait and pray that backriding would be soon allowed on private motorcycles.

She said the Provincial Board headed by Vice Governor Hilario Davide III is advised to defer discussions on the proposed ordinance adopting EO 19 allowing backriding.

Lawyer John Ismael Borgonia said he will refile the proposed ordinance as soon the President approves backriding.

Since border controls eased and other restrictions were lifted due to the GCQ in the province, public clamor for back rides on motorbikes increased.

The capitol’s news site reported that as work resumed on Monday, thousands of Cebuanos were left stranded along the highways, waiting for public transport. (PNA)