Governor Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday that his request to allow backriding on motorcycles for couples during the implementation of the general community quarantine in the province of Cavite has been denied.
In an interview with ANC, Remulla said that he was informed that his request to allow couples or those who are living together to ride the same motorcycle during the quarantine period has been rejected.
“I was informed that I was denied but I have not received an official response yet,” Remulla said.
“I don’t know if an appeal is still in order. We’ll keep on trying,” Remulla added.
In an open letter posted on his Facebook page last week, Remulla appealed to the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease to exempt couples from the policy since they share almost everything at home.
“What I would like to appeal is to allow married or cohabitating couples to backride on their motorcycles. They sleep on the same bed. Eat on the same table. Share the same bowl of rice and pass viands with their bare hands. That is lfie here and anywhere else,” he said.
“Surely it would make sense that couples be allowed to ride the same motorcycle. If they are allowed the same air-conditioned cars, they why can’t they ride the same motorcycle. If they share the same bed, then why can’t they be together on their transport, be it a Toyota Vios or a Yamaha Mio?” Remulla added.
Remulla explained that the local government would issue passes that couples could present at checkpoints.
The governor said that motorcycles are the primary mode of transport in Cavite, saying that there are roughly 400,000 motorcycles that regularly ply the roads in the province.
The Department of Transportation prohibited backriding on motorcycles in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19.