Cyclists practice at the Il Corso grounds at the South Road Properties in Cebu City in this photo taken April 27, 2021. | CDND file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police officials in Cebu City already changed their minds against recommending a ban on leisure biking.
But they will continue with the strict enforcement of health and safety protocols among cyclists, says Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
And when they start to notice another rise in violations, Parilla said, they will again review their policy and possibly recommend to city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for a ban on leisure biking here.
READ: Leisure bikers in Cebu City given final warning: Follow health protocols or else …
Cebuano sportsman Voltaire Montebon said members of their community of bikers, VDM Sports, are happy with this development.
He promised that they will continue to abide with health protocols that are being implemented in Cebu City.
VDM Sports has more or less 100 members of bikers.
READ: Cebu City cops welcome help from cyclists in regulating city bikers
CCPO officials considered a possible ban on leisure biking after they noticed that many cyclists disregard health and safety protocols like the need to always wear face masks and comply with the social distancing rules.
But after they issued several warnings, the police noticed a massive drop in the number of violators, an indication that cyclists have started to heed their reminders.
Just this weekend, Parilla said, only one cyclist was apprehended for not wearing a face mask.
“Pwede gyud diay nga masunod. Atoa lang na siya nga ihangop kay para mani sa atoang kaayohan. Dako kay natong pasalamat sa atoang katawhan nga misunod sa ataong lagda nga gipatuman. Atoang nakita nga misunod og mituman ang atoang katawhan bisag nagbagutbot, nituman gihapon,” Parilla said.
(We can always chose to comply. Let us continue to do so because this is also for our own good. And we are very grateful to those who comply with our regulations. We have noticed that many are beginning to comply even if they do not favor its implementation, but they still comply.)
Parilla said the police will continue to monitor areas in the city, like the mountain barangay of Busay, where cyclists would normally converge, to ensure their continued compliance with existing regulations. / dcb