Bohol is not exempted from the “no backrider” policy, says Gov. Arthur Yap. Yap announced this during a press briefing held on Friday, May 29 at the Capitol lobby. Yap added during the said gathering that he tried to convince national authorities to relax the “no backrider” but to no avail.
The policy remains to be in effect even if the backrider is a family member or not.
The policy is in effect in Bohol as the province transitions to the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) starting June 1 until June 15, 2020. (But as of press time, The Bohol Tribune learned that Bohol will not anymore be under MGCQ but would remain under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) status.
Yap announced to the media that his request was refused national authorities during the above-mentioned press briefing on Friday (May 29).
Yap said that he appealed to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año to allow a backrider on a motorcycle for as long as the backrider is a family member of the motorcycle driver.
The “no backrider” policy is an important issue as in some towns in Bohol. the motorcycle is the chief mode of transportation used by our people.
Moreover, the governor said that Año was firm in his decision not to allow a motorcycle backrider even if the area, like Bohol, is under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
The Province of Bohol is one of the provinces that appealed to the Inter-Agency Task-Force to allow a motorcycle backrider making sure that the backrider is a family member.
Physical distancing remains to be the reason the IATF is still disallowing motorcycle backrider, Yap said.