SCHOOLING RIDERS. Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste (center) attends the inauguration of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's Motorcycle Riding Academy in Pasig City on Sept. 28, 2023. Leviste wants to establish a similar school in Batangas to facilitate proper training and eliminate or reduce motorcycle accidents. (Photo by Pot Chavez)
BATANGAS CITY – The provincial government here is set to replicate the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Motorcycle Riding Academy to properly train riders amid the growing number of accidents involving motorcycles.
Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday that his office is now scouting for a suitable location near the provincial government compound on which to establish the riding school.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will also be consulted on how to best replicate the MMDA model, he added.
“Our objective is to provide free education on basic motorcycle riding for Batangueños in order to keep our streets safer and reduce motorcycle-related accidents,”Leviste said.
The vice governor recently attended the inauguration of the MMDA Motorcycle Riding Academy as part of his research on how it is operated.
He said this was in response to the call of the DILG encouraging the local government units (LGUs) in the country to adopt this flagship project of the MMDA.
Leviste cited statistics showing that most road accidents involve motorcycles because a majority of riders do not have proper knowledge and experience.
His initial proposal included the training to be held at the capitol compound since it has obstacles that riders and proctors can use, on top of the other facilities such as the Batangas provincial auditorium and Dream Zone at the capitol compound for the lectures.
Leviste is planning to hold the program every weekend to enable more locals to participate and ensure that no official events on weekdays shall be disturbed.
He said this would be a welcome development for the provincial government’s efforts benefiting women.
“Before the pandemic, I advocated for Women on Wheels (WOW) because most of our workers in factories here in Batangas are women. We found out that most of them like to travel through motorcycles,” he noted.
Leviste described motorcycle riding as an all-gender type of transportation and encourages everyone that before they get on a motorcycle, they should have the proper knowledge to avoid accidents.
Leviste, in partnership with 5th District Senior Board Member Claudette Ambida-Alday led the launch of Women On Wheels (WOW) in 2019 when Honda Philippines gave lectures on basic motorcycle riding.
Meanwhile, Leviste, who is also the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), said the body has passed resolutions for different towns of the province during its 40th regular session on Monday, including matters on appropriation, energy and power, human resource and development, and housing and land utilization, among others.
“We also passed a resolution expressing deepest sympathy and condolences to our former Board Member Mabelle Dimaculangan Virtusio that was sponsored by Board Member Jonas Gozos and co-sponsored by all board members,” he said.
Leviste said Virtusio led the SP not only as a board member but also as a Provincial Board secretary. (PNA)
