House Bill To Enhance Motorcycle Rider Safety

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

A House bill sponsored by an Ilonggo lawmaker seeks to amend existing motorcycle regulations to improve rider safety and ensure penalties for motorcycle-related crimes are fair and proportionate.

House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo City Lone District Representative Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda filed House Bill No. 11113, which proposes revisions to Republic Act No. 11235, also known as the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.

HB 11113 consolidates HB 5249 and HB 9821, filed separately by Baronda and Sorsogon Representative Wowo Fortes. Baronda sponsored the draft measure at the House plenary.

Baronda noted that while RA 11235, enacted in 2019, aims to curb crimes committed by motorcycle-riding perpetrators, it imposes excessively harsh fines and penalties, which she described as discriminatory against motorcycle riders.

“Certain provisions of the law need to be revisited, particularly those that affect rider safety and impose excessive penalties,” she said during her plenary speech.

One of the proposed changes under HB 11113 is the removal of the requirement for oversized front plates on motorcycles.

“This provision has raised significant safety concerns as the installation of oversized plates compromises the operational aerodynamics of motorcycles and poses potential hazards to riders and pedestrians,” Baronda explained.

The bill also seeks to reduce penalties for motorcycle-related crimes, which Baronda said are currently excessive and redundant.

“These penalties are intended as additional punishment on top of those already provided under the Revised Penal Code for crimes committed using motorcycles,” she emphasized.

The measure passed its second reading in the House last week and is set for its third and final reading before Congress adjourns for the Christmas break.

A counterpart bill has already been approved in the Senate. It includes provisions to replace the front plate requirement with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and to adjust penalties to more reasonable levels.