By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – The Senate Committee on Tourism is studying stricter permit requirements and mandatory rider vetting for endurance motorcycle events following road crash incidents linked to the BMW Owners Society of Safe Riders (BOSS) Ironman Motorcycle Challenge.
Presiding over the hearing on Monday, Sen. JV Ejercito said motorcycle tourism should help boost local economies without endangering lives.
“No life should be sacrificed under the guise of charity,” Ejercito said.
Ejercito filed Senate Resolution No. 281 directing the committee to conduct an inquiry into the implementation of safety standards and enforcement protocols for motorcycle tourism initiatives and endurance rides.
The resolution cited a recent endurance event in Mindanao that resulted in the death of a 46-year-old rider following a collision along a national highway, as well as reports of multiple road crashes and alleged violations.
“Ang pagpapalago ng turismo ay hindi dapat nangangahulugang suwayin ang mga batas-trapiko at bale-walain ang safety ng ibang tao (Promoting tourism should not mean violating traffic laws and disregarding the safety of others),” Ejercito said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Raffy Tulfo raised concerns over compliance and enforcement.
Tulfo said close coordination is needed among the Land Transportation Office, Philippine National Police, local government units and event organizers to ensure that permits are secured and routes are properly evaluated.
He said that if stricter safeguards cannot be implemented, lawmakers should consider halting unsafe endurance rides.
“Kung hindi natin maipatupad ang mga stricter guidelines na ito, we should stop and ban this activity (If we cannot implement these stricter guidelines, we should stop and ban this activity),” Tulfo said.
BOSS President Henry Tolentino told the panel the organization is willing to sit down with national and local government agencies to ensure the safety of riders and the public if the event is allowed to continue.
Ejercito said the committee aims to institutionalize a “zero fatality” culture in motorcycle tourism.
“What we aim for is not just for every rider to reach the finish line, but especially to arrive safely and without any accidents,” he said. (PNA)
