Davao City retains motorcycle barrier requirement


DAVAO CITY (PNA) – While motorcycle barriers are no longer required for areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said the city will continue to use the protective device as part of the containment measures against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Members of the PNP Highway Patrol Group and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) flag pillion riders on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City Saturday, August 1, 20202, to check for compliance of barriers required by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). (ALVIN KASIBAN/MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

The latest guidelines released by the National Task Force for Covid-19 no longer require motorcycle barriers for people living in the same household within areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ.

However, the national IATF said local chief executives of areas under MGCQ have the discretion to implement the GCQ guidelines based on their respective situations.

“The guidelines of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) applies to MECQ and GCQ areas only. In our E.O. 47-A, it doesn’t matter what your relationship is, what is important is the barrier,” Mayor Sara said in a radio interview on Thursday.

She reiterated that the use of the barrier remained necessary as it was a preventive device that according to health professionals was essential for back riders.

“The barriers will further protect us from COVID-19 so it will remain as a requirement for riders in Davao City,” Duterte said.