After the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) allowed the resumption of pillion riding or back riding last week, a shield design suggestion from motorcycle taxi mobile phone app Angkas has earned the approval of the National Task Force on COVID-19.
A GMA News report quoted Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana—who is also the National Task Force on COVID-19 chair—announcing the “approval of backpack design” effective immediately.
However, the fact remains that only married couples, live-in partners and common-law couples are allowed to ride pillion as of the moment.
Meanwhile, Angkas Chief Transport Advocate George Royeca expressed gratitude over the design approval.
“Maraming, maraming, maraming salamat po Sec. Lorenzana, Sec. Año, Sec. Galvez, Sec. Dizon, the IATF, and the NTF for the swift action and decisiveness on public transport safety. The responsiveness that you have shown especially during this pandemic is a great service to the Filipino people,” Royeca said.
“This is the culmination of many long weeks of testing and improving dozens of prototypes… We look forward to collaborating closely with the IATF on this and furthering the safety of all Filipinos during this pandemic,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government has yet to decide on the fate of the motorcycle taxis on when they will again be part of mass transport.
Earlier, Angkas bared possible solutions to help their rider partners get back to business. In a press briefing, Royeca revealed that they have submitted some safety protocols to the IATF should riding pillion be allowed in the new normal scenario.
Among those that they presented during the press conference is the wearable passenger shield.
Photos from Angkas
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