Over the weekend, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the national government has approved in principle the back-ride on motorcycles, a mechanism that the general public has been pushing for since the start of the quarantine protocols in March when it was prohibited.
In that interview aired over the government-run television, Roque said that guidelines for this scheme are still being crafted even as he urged the public to wait.
The national government earlier imposed a ban on back-riding because of what it saw as the danger that it would pose both to the driver and the rider since no physical distancing could be observed.
Those pushing for it, particularly those who own motorcycles who use these vehicles in bringing their loved ones to work and other similar activities, said that straight up regulations can be imposed like requiring both the driver and the rider their respective identification cards to show that they really are related.
The argument is that if they belong to the same family, the health reason cannot hold ground because at home they are basically not observing physical distancing.
Those against it would argue that this mode of transportation can be abused by those who might use it for their vented interest. The fact, however, is that it is hard to manufacture government-issued identification cards at a very short time.
The utilization of this mode of transportation is long overdue because there are those who have been finding it hard to commute to and from their places of work because of the absence of these two-wheeled options.
However, the government must make sure that safeguards are put in place, regulations that may become a burden on the riders but will ensure that they are not exposed to the virus, or if they are, the exposure is minimal.
