MANILA – Motorcycle barriers are no longer required for pillion riders living in the same house under Iloilo City’s general community quarantine status (GCQ).
The national task force for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) decided not to require the absence of barriers for cohabiting riders for areas under GCQ and modified GCQ.
However, the new protocol required those riders who do not live in the same house to have an approved backpack-like shield designed by ride-hailing company Angkas.
The pillion rider or “backrider” must also be authorized personnel outside of residence (APOR), while the driver may or may not be an APOR and the motorcycle must likewise be privately owned and not for hire.
“Habang nasa GCQ po, allowed po ang motorcycle backriding pero kung ang pasahero ay APOR. Kung pareho ang address nila, hindi na po kinakakailangan ng barrier pero kung magkaiba po, kailangan po ang Angkas-type barrier,” according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“Kinakailangan po ang driver at ang pasahero ay mayroong helmet, mayroong mask at mayroong face shield,” Roque added.
Iloilo City reverted to GCQ on Aug. 15 until the end of the month.
Iloilo Province, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Guimaras, however, remained under MGCQ./PN