Senate bet vow to push for riders’ electoral agenda

Press Release 

18 February 2019

Senate bet vow to push for riders’ electoral agenda

Speaking before thousands of motorcycle owners and enthusiasts, labor leader and senatorial aspirant Leody De Guzman committed to promote the interests and welfare of motorcycle owners who convened for the Assembly for Riders agenda held in San Juan City last Feb 17 Sunday.

De Guzman together with other senate hopefuls signed a covenant to pursue the establishment of a Riders Consultative Assembly that will ensure riders associations’ inclusion in the formulation of laws and policies involving the sector.

Among other demands include the enactment of a Motorcycle Road Safety Act, a legislation advocating for the prioritization of the safety and welfare of motorcycle riders as well as to institute regulations for ‘motorcycle taxis’.

“I am elated that motorcycle associations and enthusiasts have bonded together to formulate and pursue a common electoral agenda to ensure their interests. Empowerment requires unity and a common agenda. By their sheer number and organization, national transport agencies and local government units can no longer discount them,” De Guzman, chair of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino running under Partido Lakas ng Masa partylist said.

“The tally of thirty motorcycle accidents on a daily basis is staggering. The government must look into this and do everything in its power to prioritize its mitigation,” he adds.

Besides road safety, De Guzman is also supporting the legalization of motorcycle taxis to establish employment opportunities for riders. He says the establishment of motorcycle taxis can significantly relieve the woes of commuters, especially in Metro Manila.

Experts estimate around 70% of Filipinos do not own a private vehicle and Metro Manila’s day time population has swelled to more than fifteen million this year.

In a survey taken mid-last year discovered that transportation network vehicle service (TNVS) is increasingly popular among Metro Manila residents for their daily commute.

“For as long as our metro railway system remains underdeveloped and unprioritized by the national government, there is a pressing need to legalize and regulate motorcycle taxis for the safety of both riders and the commuting public,” De Guzman asserted.

Speaking before the assembly, De Guzman also pledged to fight for the suspension of value added and excise taxes on petroleum and other petroleum products in order to pull down costs of fuel and basic necessities.

“A great majority of riders are of working class backgrounds. We can easily relate with each other, our living conditions are practically the same,” he concluded.###