This morning marked the trial implementation of the much vilified EDSA Motorcycle Lane. To celebrate the Feast of Hearts, the MMDA has chosen to demonstrate the safety of their Motorcycle Lane by holding an ESCORTED motorcade down the busy Metro Manila thoroughfare. I was able to catch this on the news this morning and I literally could not believe my eyes. This was their much awaited and much vaunted demonstration. How, for the life of me, can you honestly say that THAT was a real world demonstration? You had MMDA escorts on the left as well as media on the either side covering the phalanx of uniformed (free shirts people!!) riders slowly crawling along EDSA. The brief newscast showed some of the participating riders and I immediately recognized some of the participants in the charade. Lo and behold, they were the so called leaders of the rider representatives.
First and foremost, the Motorcycle Lanes as done by the MMDA is both wrong and dangerous. They were implemented without giving any thought to the welfare of the riders as well as the other users of the road. Haphazardly placed and hurriedly implemented without Implementing Rules and Regulations, these lanes were touted as savers of the riding public but behind it lay a different story. I will not delve into the legalities of what the MMDA is doing as well as the statistics that the good Chairman just loves throwing at us, we have the MRO and Jobert Bolanos to speak for us regarding this. I’d like to seek a deeper, darker movement going on in the guise of public safety.
The MRO has been against this version of the Motorcycle Lane act from the very beginning. It was clear that no proper consultation with rider groups, except maybe for one favored one. After voicing out this concern to various parties as well as media entities the MRO was answered, quite dismissively by the MCPF. As stated in an interview by MCPF Head Atoy Sta. Cruz.
Inakusahan ni Santa Cruz ang grupong Motorcycle Rights Association ni Jobert Christian Bolaños na siyang hindi sumisipot sa mga konsultasyon na ginagawa ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan gaya ng Land Transportation Office (LTO).
This was purely false since as far as I know the MRO has not received any invitation to any hearing held by any government agency with regards to the Motorcycle Lane. This conduct is already old news to us since this has happened before. The MRO has always given way since it has accepted its role in the check and balance of the Motorcycle Community.
What worries me is what’s happening now. Political ambitions have been announced and the intentions of various groups to run for Sectoral Representatives for the next congress via a Motorcycle Riders Party List have been floated. In all honesty the country does not need anymore lawmakers, we have enough of that. And to be perfectly candid Motorcycle Riders are not marginalized sectors of the society. Heck we have money to buy motorcycles, that doesn’t make us marginalized, we have enough laws to protect us from abuse, that doesn’t make us marginalized. What we don’t have is a unified national presence that will enable us to lobby for what riders need. What RIDERS need, not what so called “RIDERS” want and fantasize to be. It’s hard to be sympathetic to a group if you are just pretending to be part of it. A wolf can never represent sheep. Eventually the wolf will be found out and will be put to task for its actions.
The current Motorcycle Lane fiasco along EDSA includes a seminar by an LCD TV or Tarp Banner of what is illegal. Among some of the obvious illegal actions on a motorcycle are…”Any kind of modification done on a Motorcycle”. This is a rehash of the LTO AHS 2008-15 which was suspended by the LTO because it does not have any clear basis and no course of action, in short, it would be almost impossible to implement. Now we have the MMDA implementing this portion of the suspended Administrative Order on hapless riders along EDSA. I thought they were just going to apprehend them for riding outside the lane? Now no modifications on bikes? Please MMDA and of course MCPF, please show us the proper guidelines as to how they will know what modifications are done.
This is specially painful for us who were there in September 2008 who fought to have this Administrative Order suspended. MCPF was there, as support, and we thought they’re still with us. Apparently not. They have compromised their position for the political ambitions of a few. Kowtowing to powerful people in government while leading a blinded flock to imminent danger with false promises. It’s a sad day for the community, at the same time, at least it’s now clear, we know where their interests lie and it is not with us.
Thank you for making it crystal clear.