Senator JV Ejercito said Monday, Aug. 22 that he will not allow the passage into law of measures that would legalize lane splitting of motorcycles as well as mandate riders to join accredited clubs prior to registration.
Ejercito, a motorcycle enthusiast, opposed a move that would let motorcycle riders pass and drive between two rows of moving vehicles, as he said doing so is dangerous for them.
While it is a common practice among motorcycle riders to avoid heavy traffic, lane splitting is actually prohibited in the Philippines.
Ejercito also opposed the argument that lane splitting could be beneficial to drivers by lessening their travel time and exposure to pollution.
"Other than prohibiting lane splitting, it would be better for the government to develop guidelines on how we can implement safe lane splitting or lane sharing. Let us always focus on how to make our road safe," he added, as he promised not to support the measure in the Senate.
Ejercito also rejected a measure that would mandate riders to join accredited clubs as he said it would only "inevitably transfer the responsibility of law enforcement from traffic enforcers to motorcycle clubs".
Such a measure would also impose an additional layer of bureaucracy and new expenses on the part of motorcycle riders, he added.
"Let's not punish our fellow riders with unnecessary expenses. Our economic situation is already difficult with the ongoing pandemic," Ejercito said.
Instead, he called on his fellow lawmakers to prioritize the amendments of Republic Act (RA) No. 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.
This would happen through Senate Bill (SB) No. 159, which Ejercito filed as one of his priority bills for the 19th Congress, as it seeks to replace the mandatory installation of oversized license plates in front of motorcycles with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner system.
The measure also aims to reduce the penalties stated in RA 11235 and align them with the penalties imposed on four-wheeled vehicles.