Palace clarifies: Sidecars still prohibited on national highways
Published Jun 4, 2020 12:00 am
By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
After announcing that sidecars will be allowed on national roads and highways, Malacañang clarified that these vehicles are still prohibited from plying those roads, but they will temporarily not be apprehended.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr.(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, citing Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, said that sidecars, tricycles, and similar vehicles are still prohibited from traveling on highways.
"Although apprehension from the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) is temporarily suspended, such (tricycles) are still prohibited from traversing the national highways," he said Thursday evening (June 4).
Roque announced on Thursday morning that the government recently came up with the new policy to allow sidecars to ply national roads and highways to make up for the limited operations of public transportation.
"Nagkaroon na po ng bagong polisiya: Pinapayagan na po ngayon ang mga sidecars sa national highways (There has been a new policy: sidecars are now allowed on national highways)," he said.
"'Yan po ay para maibsan 'yung kakulangan ng transportasyon ngayong nag-GCQ na at MGCQ na sa maraming areas (This is to make up for the lack of public transportation now that we have shifted to general community quarantine and modified GCQ)," he added.
Año had earlier suggested that motorcycle owners install a sidecar on their vehicles to accommodate another passenger as back-riding is still not allowed.
The government brought transportation back to many areas including Metro Manila, after shifting them to GCQ on Monday.
However, workers found it difficult to commute as trains and buses are only allowed to operate at limited capacity to ensure physical distancing inside.
The transport woes experienced by commuters prompted the strong clamor for the government to lift the ban on passenger jeepneys, but Malacañang said this will not happen in the near future due to the "physical impossibility" of implementing physical distancing in such vehicles.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr.(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, citing Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, said that sidecars, tricycles, and similar vehicles are still prohibited from traveling on highways.
"Although apprehension from the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) is temporarily suspended, such (tricycles) are still prohibited from traversing the national highways," he said Thursday evening (June 4).
Roque announced on Thursday morning that the government recently came up with the new policy to allow sidecars to ply national roads and highways to make up for the limited operations of public transportation.
"Nagkaroon na po ng bagong polisiya: Pinapayagan na po ngayon ang mga sidecars sa national highways (There has been a new policy: sidecars are now allowed on national highways)," he said.
"'Yan po ay para maibsan 'yung kakulangan ng transportasyon ngayong nag-GCQ na at MGCQ na sa maraming areas (This is to make up for the lack of public transportation now that we have shifted to general community quarantine and modified GCQ)," he added.
Año had earlier suggested that motorcycle owners install a sidecar on their vehicles to accommodate another passenger as back-riding is still not allowed.
The government brought transportation back to many areas including Metro Manila, after shifting them to GCQ on Monday.
However, workers found it difficult to commute as trains and buses are only allowed to operate at limited capacity to ensure physical distancing inside.
The transport woes experienced by commuters prompted the strong clamor for the government to lift the ban on passenger jeepneys, but Malacañang said this will not happen in the near future due to the "physical impossibility" of implementing physical distancing in such vehicles.