Talisay to implement “no helmet, no driving” policy; puts on hold prohibition vs young backriders

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. (center) reminded city traffic enforcers of their role in bringing order to city streets in a recent meeting. /Photo taken from the City of Talisay Public Information Office Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. said that he is bent on implementing a “no helmet, no driving policy” in his city.

But Gullas said that he will have to reconsider an earlier plan to also prohibit children from backriding on motorcycles for “humanitarian reasons.”

“As to our last announcement that we will also penalize motorcycle riders who allow children to back ride with them, I have decided to put the policy on hold due to humanitarian reasons and to place it under review before we will decide to carry it out in the future.  I understand motorcycle riders living in our city use this to ferry their children to school and it would do them a disservice if we prevent them for doing this, thus the need to have the policy reviewed,” Gullas said in an announcement that he made on his Facebook post at 5 p.m. today, July 6.

Gullas said that he would also be asking the City Talisay-Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA) to go slow on the apprehension of motorcycles who were slippers while driving and those who commit other minor violations.

“As of the moment I’d rather concentrate on the “no helmet, no driving” policy because this truly can be the sole difference between saving a life or not. We are hell-bent on implementing this policy as we want to avoid further deaths happening in our streets due to the lack of discipline from motorists,” he said.

Gullas said he would very much understand if motorists will feel irritated with his strict implementation of the “no helmet, no driving policy” but “I would rather start it now to save more lives than not doing anything and sending more drivers to their deaths.”

“As your mayor, I have always been looking after your safety and security.  Whether its flooding or traffic, my policies has always been geared towards looking after your overall interest, including your safety,” he said.

Gullas said that he had been receiving complaints against motorcycle riders who do not bother to wear crash helmets.

He also cited as an example a June 27 incident which claimed the life of a 51-year-old driver who figured in an accident with another motorcycle driver while on a portion of the Cebu South Coastal Road near the vicinity of Barangay Cansojong.

“It was found out through our CCTV cameras at the Command Center that the 51-year-old man who died was not wearing a helmet when the incident happened.  With this, I have ordered Joy Tumulak, our City Traffic Czar, to strictly carry out the “no helmet, no driving” policy within the city limits,” Gullas said.