Local government units (LGUs) in the province may stop the requirement of motorcycle barriers for members of the same household after the heavily criticized “no back-ride” policy was amended by the national government.

Gov. Art Yap on Friday said that mayors should oversee the lifting of the order after the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) against COVID-19 indicated that motorcycle barriers are no longer required for those living in the same residence particularly in areas under modified general community quarantine.

“Basta karong panahona that there is no more policy then we should also let the mayors decide how they will implement, basta sunod ra sila sa IATF,” he said.

The no-back ride policy drew heavy flak from the riding public raising concerns over having to ride on public utility vehicles which could lead to a potential exposure to the fast-spreading COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Yap maintained that the province and its mayors were lenient in the implementation of the controversial policy.

“The mayors were not very strict in implementing that policy because they understood, nakasabot man ang pagamhanang probinsyal ang gobernador ang pag antos sa atong katwhan, that’s why we never implemented that policy very strictly,” he said.

Data from the Tagbilaran Police Station however indicated that 1,040 persons were arrested for violating the no-back ride policy from March 18 to July 20.

Yap also noted that he merely suggested the barriers to the national government as a remedy to the no-backride policy which was adamantly enforced by the NIATF.

The governor said that the provincial government will continue to follow the policies set by the NIATF.

He then thanked the national government for lifting the barrier policy, which left the provincial government with hands tied even amid an uproar against the measure from the public. (R. Tutas)