No moto barrier means 'reckless driving' penalty

MANILA: After weeks of extensions, the Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield has fully implemented the use of motorcycle barriers for couples riding in tandem since Saturday, August 1.

“For more than three weeks, we were just warning and advising the violators to comply until July 31. As the grace period ends today (Friday, July 31), we expect that all motorcycle riders have already complied in order for them to avoid inconvenience as they go to work and ride back home,” said task force commander, said Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar in a statement on Friday.

Under guidelines crafted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorate for Operations in coordination with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and as approved by PNP Chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, all police commanders and the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) are instructed to start apprehending violators starting August 1 and impose fines ranging from P1,000 to P10,000.

The penalties and fines are as follows:

• No face mask, no helmet, no approved motorcycle barrier falls under "reckless driving." The fine ranges between P1,000 to P10,000 depending on the number of the same offense committed.
• Not authorized to back ride (not a couple, married, or living together) falls under "overloading of passengers" and carries a fine of P1,000.
• Not an Authorized Person Outside Residence will fall under "driving without a valid license" and will be fined P3,000.

Members of the PNP have been asked to coordinate with the LTO in their respective areas of responsibility to conduct joint operations against violators.

Data from the PNP showed that 1,284 motorcycle riders were apprehended on Saturday for failure to install barriers.

Photo from the LTO NCR Facebook page

Also read:  Moto riders now have until July 31 to install protective shield