SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
Senate Bill No. 2555 Committee Report No. 191
AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11235, OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS THE "MOTORCYCLE CRIME PREVENTION ACT"
February 19, 2024

Good afternoon, Mr. President, and distinguished colleagues:

I rise today before this august chamber to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2555 under Committee Report No. 191 which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11235 otherwise known as the "Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act".

Mr. President, are we not worthy of the beautiful things in life? Can we not be entrusted with inventions and technology without turning them into instruments of grief and sorrow?

We should consider the motorcycle as a gift from God to mankind, Mr. President. It is a machine that was invented for the noble purpose of making our life easier. But like all beautiful things, it did not take long for some people to abuse it. What was once a simple tool for travel has become, over the years, infamously associated with death in our country. Tama po yata ang kanta ni Taylor Swift, "This is why we can't have nice things."

Sa mga nakaraang taon na lumipas, nagkaroon po ng masamang reputasyon ang motorsiklo at ang pagmomotor na may angkas. Halos araw-araw po ay naging laman ng mga balita sa telebisyon at social media ang mga pagpatay, snatching at pagnanakaw gamit ang motorsiklo. Ang terminong "riding in tandem" ay mabilis na naging bahagi ng Philippine lexicography. Ito ay nakasanayan nang sambitin bilang slang para sa mga krimen na may kaugnayan sa paggamit ng motor.

Due to it being compact and easily maneuverable, the motorcycle has been the vehicle of choice of some criminals. Not only were wrongdoers able to accomplish their evil deeds quickly, but the motorcycle enabled them to escape the scene with ease. Our small and seemingly impassable alleyways became pathways to freedom for these motorcycle-riding felons.

Marahil, ang aking mga nabanggit na mga pangyayari ang naging dahilan para isulong noong 17th Congress ang "Doble Plaka Law".

Manipis po ang linyang tinutulay ng batas na ito sa pagitan ng crime prevention at diskriminasyon. Sa tuwing may checkpoint, habang ang mga naka kotse at sasakyan ay binabati nang maayos at pinalalagpas nang halos walang hirap, ang mga motorcycle rider ang laging natatagalan, hinihingan ng license at registration, minsan pa ay tinatanong kung saan sila galing at kung saan sila pupunta. Kaya nga po siguro [sinuspinde] agad ni Pangulong Duterte ang implementasyon nito. Tila na-single out po ang isang sektor sa pag-uugnay nito sa kriminalidad.

Ngunit ganoon po yata talaga ang buhay. Minsan ay nasa ibaba, minsan ay nasa itaas. Ilang buwan lamang po matapos maisabatas ang "Doble Plaka Law", dumating po sa ating bansa ang pandemya. Wala pong nakahula sa gulong ng palad ng motorcycle riders. Hindi po inasahan ng lahat ang malaking papel na gagampanan nila sa darating na mga taon.

Habang tila tumigil ang ikot ng mundo dahil sa COVID-19, nagpatuloy po ang pag-ikot ang mga gulong ng mga delivery rider. Sila ang naghatid sa atin ng pagkain, COVID testing kits, mga gamot at iba pa nating pangunahing mga pangangailangan. Nagsilbi ring alternatibong porma ng transportasyon ang motorsiklo para sa ating mga manggagawa na hindi nagkaroon ng pribilehiyo na mag-work from home.

Naging sandigan po ng ating ekonomiya ang ating motorcycle riders. Ang motorsiklo na naikabit at naiugnay sa pagkitil ng buhay ay siya ring nakapagdugtong ng maraming buhay noong kasagsagan ng pandemya.

As a motorcycle rider myself, I empathize with the clamor of my fellow riders who raised their concerns, arguing that the said law is, and I quote, "discriminatory as it singles out motorcycles and seems to generalize that only motorcycle owners and riders have the propensity to commit (a) crime."

Mr. President, there is nothing wrong with penalizing offenders of the crimes they have committed. However, it would be downright discriminatory to punish a whole sector for the sins committed by a few. The motorcycle-riding community has done more good than evil.

Sa matagal na panahon po ay kaisa natin ang motorcycle-riding community sa ating hangarin na paigtingin at pagtibayin ang ating mga batas upang maiwasan ang paglaganap ng krimen sa ating bansa.

Katunayan, sila-sila nga po mismo ang pumupuna sa kanilang mga kapwa rider na lumalabag sa mga batas. Bagama't wala naman po itong kaukulang penalty, isang kahihiyan pong maituturing ang matawag na isang "kamote rider". Lalo na kung mula ito sa kanilang kapwa nagmomotor.

Today, we are given the opportunity to amend issues that might have been overlooked. I am very honored and privileged to be associated with this measure. Thank you very much to our principal author, Senator JV Ejercito and our principal sponsor, Senator Francis Tolentino for allowing me to be part of this noble undertaking.

With the proposed amendment of installing RFID stickers at the front side of the motorcycle instead of a metal plate, we are hitting two birds with one stone: ensuring the safety of our fellow motorcycle riders while promoting the protection of the general public against unscrupulous individuals, those who would rather abuse the advantages of this two-wheeled instrument for their evil intentions.

May kasabihan tayo sa riding community: ATGATT, All The Gear, All The Time. Let us now think of this amendment as a way for us to provide only the best legislative gear for our riders.

Mr. President, dear colleagues, let us go full throttle in passing the measure!

Thank you.

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[1] Section 2, RA 11235.