Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia | File Photo by Rosalie O. Abatayo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia will be withdrawing the executive order (EO) she has drafted that will allow backriding on private motorcycles.
This developed after President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, June 5, 2020, rejected plans to allow motorcycle backriding.
READ: Duterte rejects Cebu’s plan to allow motorcycle backriding
“Una sa tanan, tungod kay siya may akong Presidente mopatuo ko niya… I will withdraw my EO in deference sa sulti sa Presidente,” Garcia said in a live interview with Cebu-based radio station dyLa on Friday morning.
(First of all, I will follow his orders because he is my President. I will withdraw my EO in deference on what the President just said.)
Garcia reiterated that her plans to allow family members of motorcycle drivers as backride passengers stemmed from the lack of transportation in the province which is currently placed under general community quarantine (GCQ).
“Ako lang hinuon i-qualify nga dili man ni akong request. Ako igo rako ni act upon sa mga yangungo ug hangyo sa katawhan nga naglisod gyud ug sakay,” she said.
(I would like to qualify that this is not a personal request. I only acted on the concerns and requests from the public who are struggling to find transportation.)
READ: Despite warning, Gwen to go on with plan to allow backriding in motorcycles
Garcia also said she has advised the Provincial Board (PB) to defer its scheduled special session on Friday. The special session was supposed to discuss, and come up with a provincial ordinance in support of the governor’s initiatives.
“Mao to akong gisulti no sa mga Sugboanon nga akong gibuhat ang tanan nakong mabuhat tungod niining giatubang nga upat na gani ka buwan nga kalisod tungod aning restrictions sa COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019),” she added.
(What I told the Cebuano public that I did everything I can in order to address these difficulties we’re facing for four months due to the restrictions brought by COVID-19.) /bmjo