The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will be strictly implementing the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) order to prohibit backrides on motorcycles in Bohol in response to health authorities’ call for the public to practice social distancing.

According to Vicente Gador, chief of the Land Transportation Office in Tagbilaran City, they will start making arrests and fining violators next week after conducting an information drive on the new policy which is intended to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Ga distribute mi og leaflets, namara mi og mga motorcycle na naay backide,” said Gador. “Puhon-puhon manakop na ta ana…Naa na sa mandato sa atong DOTr, implementing arm man ang LTO so kung gahi g’yud og o ang mga taw manakop na ta.”

The “no-backride” policy applies to all motorcycles including those privately owned. It also does not exempt family members or relatives of the motorcycle’s driver.

Gador appealed to the public to just stay at home if they have no urgent matters to attend to outside of their houses.

“Dili mani kanunay aron matuman ang katuyuan nganong naa ta aning quarantime period na one month,” he said.

The DOTr also suspended operations of motorcycle taxis’ Angkas, JoyRide and MoveIt which are mostly based in Metro Manila and Cebu City.

In the provinces where habal-habal operations are rampant, the same order was also imposed on motorcycles-for-hire.

Although habal-habals are illegal, these have been tolerated by the government and have been the source of income of many Boholanos and drivers nationwide and means of transportation for a slew of commuters, particularly those living in far-flung areas. (AD)