THE Metro Manila Development Authority has agreed with the suggestion of motorcycle riders to conduct a seminar on road safety and traffic rules and regulations to further improve the situation of traffic in the metropolis, especially along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.
The agreement, according to MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos, is in line with the revived Motorcycle Lanes Scheme to be implemented by the Inter-agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) on major thoroughfares beginning next Monday.
“Rather than preventing them, let them be part of the disciplined majority,” Orbos said.
Starting Nov. 14, personnel of the MMDA and other agencies under I-ACT will strictly enforce the motorcycle lane policy along Edsa, Circumferential Road-5 (C-5 Road), President Diosdado Macapagal Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue.
Jojo Medina, director for operations of the Motorcycle Philippines Federation, said their initial proposal is to have a 30-minute to one-hour class seminar to riders using Edsa.
“After that they will be given sticker with the plate number, meaning they are MMDA-certified that they already know the [traffic rule] violation,” he said.
MPF director for administration Atoy Sta. Cruz seconded Medina, saying he agreed with the sticker plates instead of the plate made of steel or iron.
“This is for our safety because if you’re in a high speed, it could be removed and might hit us in the face,” Sta. Cruz said.
Orbos agreed. “We have to learn from each other. They are the ones who knows what they need, not us.”
The stickers will be visible to the “No Contact Policy” Closed Circuit Television camera which being monitored at the MMDA Metro Base Traffic Monitoring Center.
But for the meantime, according to Orbos, the government “will leave with what is there and right now we are creating an application and even our fellow motorists can download it and send to us the problem.”
Prior to its implementation of the use of the motorcycle lane along the said thoroughfares, agency officials and MPF members will conduct trial runs on Saturday and Sunday to familiarize and orient all motorcycle riders on the policy.
Orbos said aside from educating and instilling road discipline among motorcyclists, strictly enforcing the motorcycle lane will ease the traffic situation on the roads and reduce the number of fatal accidents involving the motorbikes.
“Our objective here is not only to move people faster but also make sure they reach their destinations safely,” he said.
Data shows that out of the 265 vehicular accidents daily in Metro Manila, 30 involved motorcycle riders.
Based on the Road Crash Statistical Report from January to April 2016, a total of 7,033 motorcycle accidents were recorded.
Out of the number of motorcycle-related mishaps, 82 cases were fatal, according to the report.
In 2015, MMDA recorded a total of 18,668 motorcycle-related accidents in the metropolis, 238 of which resulted to deaths.
During the dry run this weekend, MMDA personnel will be checking motorcycle riders’ proper attire, such as crash helmet, long pants, and shoes; and the mandatory switching on of headlights even during daytime.
They will also be flagging down motorcycles which do not have signal lights and side-mirrors.
The government stresses that finding doable measures to address the traffic problem is an ongoing process which needs cooperation and coordination from various sectors of society.
