MOTORCYCLE WATCH. Committee on Health Chairperson Councilor Joselle Villafuerte says she will be talking to newly installed City Traffic and Transportation Management Office Dionesio Abude to lay out the plans on the proposed regulation of motorcycles in the city, which former CTTMO chief, Rhodelio Poliquit had already agreed to. In a press conference at the Sangguniang Panlungsod in Davao City on Tuesday, April 18, Villafuerte says prospective motorcycle drivers must to be required to undergo proper training to avoid accidents.(Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Considering that motorcycle accidents are the most prevalent cases of road accidents in the city, Committee on Health Chairperson Councilor Joselle Villafuerte said she has already passed a resolution urging the Land Transportation Office here to conduct motorcycle driving seminars.
Villafuerte said the resolution was already passed by the council and has already reached the LTO.
Villafuerte said she is also seeking for ways to implement more stringent rules in acquiring motorcycles, considering that dealerships are offering units with down payments as low as P 1,500.
“Gusto ko maging requirement talaga for anybody buying a motorcycle na kailangang magkaroon siya ng training on how to use. Kasi alam naman natin na ngayon may 1,500 ka lang, yung iba 1,000, even lower ang down payment, pwede mo nang i-uwi yung motorcycle, walang lisensya (I want it to be required for anybody buying a motorcycle to undergo training on how to use [the motorcycle] because nowadays, you just need P 1,500, even P 1000, even lower as down payment and you can take the motorcycle home. [You don’t need] a [driver’s] license),” Villafuerte said in a press conference at the Sangguniang Panlungsond Tuesday.
Villafuerte also lamented that she has seen minors driving motorcycles in Calinan district.
“Nakakita talaga ako ng maraming bata, naka-motor walang helmet, wala lahat” (I really saw many children driving motorcycles without helmets or any [protective gear]), she said.
Villafuerte said that the City Traffic and Transport Management under its previous chief, Rhodelio Poliquit agreed to implement the program. However, Villafuerte said there might be a delay in the implementation, as she will have to talk to the new chief, Dionesio Abude in order to iron out the details.
Villafuerte said the motorcycle dealers have also expressed willingness to help out the city. The problem, she said, is in crafting a law that will not infringe on the rights of the dealerships to conduct their business.
The councilor however, is bullish that they can find a way around it.
“We can find a way na maregulate natin yung sale kasi ang doctors na mismo ang lumapit sa atin na napakataas ng motorcycle accidents din. Ang 911 naconfirm din nila na araw-araw, yung iba hindi na na-aadmit na tin-itreat nila by the roadside (We can find a way to regulate the sale because our doctors themselves have come to me to report that the rate of motorcycle accidents here are very high. 911 also confirmed that they respond to motorcycle accidents everyday. Sometimes the patients don’t get admitted, especially those that they just treat by the roadside),” Villafuerte said.
According to a World Health Organization fact sheet, 1.25 million people all around the world die as a result of road accidents, making it the top reason for deaths among young people.
Meanwhile, 20 to 50 million people were found to suffer non-fatal injuries, often leading to disabling injuries. (davaotoday.com)
