The government has begun loosening up restrictions on public transportation under Alert Level 1. And in addition to PUVs being allowed to operate at maximum capacity, there’s now a new announcement that commuters should take note: The use of backriding shields is no longer required for motorcycle taxis.
One of the major motorcycle-taxi operators, Angkas, has already released an advisory. Not only that, but passengers are also no longer required to bring their own helmets. But if commuters still wish to use their own gear, they may do so.
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You may recall that the operational guidelines for motorcycle taxis have been subject to public scrutiny throughout this pandemic. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) or the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has yet to release the full Alert Level 1 guidelines, but be reminded that the pandemic isn’t over and that the public is still advised to follow the minimum health protocols.
As for motorcycle-taxi riders, we know this comes as good news to many of you and we’re sure you’re all eager to get rid of your backriding shields ASAP, but it might be best to keep those in storage for now. There’s still no certainty whether or not these shields will still be needed again in the future.
So, what do you guys think of these recent developments?
