CCTO to bike users: Register your bikes for safety

Bikes are becoming a more popular form of transportation in this quarantine period, as seen by these residents seen riding their bikes or bike along Colon Street in Cebu City. | Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) is urging the public to register their bicycles or bikes especially if they often use the non-motorized vehicles.

Ronnie Nadera, CCTO spokesman, told CDN Digital that the registration of bicycles or bikes was actually required by the city government in an ordinance that had been passed at least 17 years ago.

CDN Digital is in the process of obtaining a copy of the ordinance from the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) as of this time or writing.

Nadera said the ordinance was not implemented extensively in the past as the city did not feel the need to regulate the use of bikes. The main mode of transportation in the city remains to be motorized vehicles like motorcycles and cars.

However, following the lack of public transportation during the community quarantine, CCTO noticed a significant increase in the use of bicycles around the city.

This prompted the CCTO to implement the ordinance to regulate the bikers and ensure that their bicycles could be monitored.

“Nagkadaghan ang bikes sa atong kadalanan. Sagol na sila sa mga dagkong sakyanan. For their safety, ato lang gyod iparegister ilang bike aron naa tay database sa mga nanagan nga bike sa syudad,” said Nadera.

(There are many bikes in the streets now. They mix in with bigger motorized vehicles. For their safety, we ask the bikers to register their bicycles so we can have a database on the number of bikes plying the streets.)

Nadera said the registration of the bike would very simple. The biker and the bicycle must be present at the CCTO office, which is located above the Ramos Public Market, and the details of the bicycle and its owner will be collected.

A control number will be released to the biker and a sticker will be placed in a visible part of the bike for easier inspection of traffic enforcers or authorities.

This control number can also be used for tracking of the bike in case the it gets stolen or the biker is involved in an accident.

The process would cost the biker P40, an amount to pay for what Nadera said would be a worthwhile cause for their safety.

Although no apprehensions are being made for bikers with the unregistered bike as of the moment, Nadera still urged the public to have them registered.

In due time, the CCTO may prohibit the use of unregistered bikes in certain roads such as primary or national roads. If the bikers would like to traverse these roads, they might need to be registered.

The CCTO also urged the bikers to maintain safety measures when riding the bicycles. They should wear helmets and pads as much as possible to avoid critical injuries during accidents.

However, the CCTO assured there would be no apprehensions yet for bikers with no helmets or gears./dbs