(BOSS Ironman Motorcycle Challenge's Facebook Page)

Members of the House Committee on Transportation cast criticized the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) for including the 2024 BOSS Ironman Motorcycle Challenge (BIMC) as part of its Philippine Motorcycle Tourism (PMT) program, as they questioned its benefit to the provinces that were part of the run’s route.

The panel, chaired by Antipolo 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop, is currently investigating the most recent BIMC and its organizers, BMW Owners Society of Safe Riders (BOSS), for the accidents during the event’s Luzon leg which led to the death of two participant-riders.

The TPB, an attached agency to the Department of Tourism (DOT), said it included the motorcycle challenge in its PMT program because of its “tourism component”.

TPB Acting Division Chief Margarita San Jose noted that several pit stops during the 24-hour, 1,200 kilometers (km) run would be the sites where riders can “take a break, spend some time, dine, and shop a little”.

Based on the route posted by BOSS, riders would stop by the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Isabela, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

Acop asserted that riders don’t intend to stay at the pit stops across various provinces because they would want to finish the challenge within the 24-hour time limit.

“Hindi na po titigil ‘yung mga riders niyan dahil ang intention ng mga riders ay matapos nga nila nang mabilisan. Pinipilit niyo na i-connect sa tourism pero I cannot see any aspect of that na maikokonekta sa tourism. Pilit na pilit, Madam,” Acop told San Jose.

(The riders will not stop because the intention of the riders is to finish quickly. You are trying to connect it to tourism but I cannot see any aspect of it that can be connected to tourism. It is so forced, Madam.)

Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez agreed and pointed out that big motorcycles will most likely stop for “about two to three times just to refill” their gas tanks.

Gomez, a motorcycle enthusiast, said that despite the positives in these events, there are pressing issues that are often overlooked.

He particularly identified overspeeding, auxiliary lights at night that are “blinding” for oncoming vehicles, and counter-flowing which can cause accidents.

With over 1,000 motorcycle riders participating, Gomez said the event just becomes “noise tourism”.

“Sa probinsya, pagdating ng 9 p.m. tahimik na lahat hanggang 5 a.m. ‘yun, so pag gano’n maraming motorsiklong tumatakbo it becomes noise,” he explained.

(In the province, when 9 p.m. arrives everything is quiet until 5 a.m., so when there are many motorcycles running it becomes noise.)

With this in mind, the actor-turned-lawmaker suggested that the TPB and the DOT should instead support the “unity ride” type of motorcycle runs that are at low speed and strictly for sightseeing purposes.

“A race that will cost lives of people on public roads will be very difficult for a government entity to support,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Acop said he is planning to further scrutinize the TPB’s expenditures over its PMT program once Congress enters budget deliberations.

“Resources of government are supposed to be equitably distributed. There are more sections of our society who would need more your funds,” the veteran lawmaker said.

TPB’s San Jose assured that the agency will study the lawmakers’ recommendations and will reconsider its support for such activities.