COLLEAGUES 'BACKRIDE' ON REVILLA HELMET BILL,
SENATOR CHOSEN AS SAFETY AMBASSADOR

Recognizing the need to arrest casualties in motorcycle accidents, fellow lawmakers expressed support on the Mandatory Helmet Bill of Senator Bong Revilla, who was chosen as Safety Ambassador by a renowned motorcycle manufacturer for seriously advocating road safety in the country.

During their interpellation on the Mandatory Helmet Bill last week, senators from different political camps articulated their support to Revilla's promotion of motorcycle safety through the mandatory wearing of standard quality helmets of both motorcycle drivers and backriders.

The senators who backed Revilla's bill include Senate Pro-tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri, Senate Minority Leader Aquino Pimentel and Senators Joker Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III and Richard Gordon. Prior to this, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also expressed support during Revilla's sponsorship of the bill.

Among the questions raised the interpellation are the following: How can an ordinary masang Pilipino afford a standard quality helmet which costs at around P5,000, considering the present economic crisis?; Why tricycle riders are exempted from wearing standard quality helmet?; and whether the measure can be implemented along with insurance coverage policy to boost compliance of motorcycle riders.

Revilla explained that medical cost caused by accidents is incomparable to the cost of standard quality helmets and there are standard quality helmets which only cost around P800. He also pointed out that tricycle riders are exempted because they are less exposed to risks than motorcycle riders.

The senator thanked his colleagues for their support and assured them that he is willing to accept amendments to strengthen the enforcement and compliance to his proposed measure.

Under the Mandatory Helmet Bill, all motorcycle riders- the driver and the back rider- must wear standard quality helmets while driving motorcycles, whether on long or short drives, at any time of the day, and in any type of road or highway. Exempted are drivers of tricycles. "The World Health Organization maintains that wearing a helmet is the single most effective way of reducing head injuries and fatalities resulting from motorcycle crashes. Wearing a helmet has been shown to decrease the risk and severity of injuries among motorcyclists by about 70 percent and the likelihood of deaths by almost 40 percent," said Revilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services.

In a related development, motorcycle manufacturer Suzuki formally announced Revilla as its Safety Ambassador during the company's launching last Friday (June 5) of its state of the art Suzuki Hayabusa, which has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's fastest motorcycle.

In his message, Revilla disclosed that there are now about 4-million motorcycle owners in the Philippines, making it an increasingly popular mode of transportation in the country.

"However, we are also aware that there are reports everyday of accidents and casualties involving motorcycle riders. As an avid motorcycle enthusiast, I believe that it is very important to promote riding safety, and this is why I have agreed to be Suzuki's safety ambassador," he added.