The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority reacted to a circulating video showing a group of motorcycle riders preventing large trucks from passing a major road.
In the footage, riders are waiting out the heavy rain under an overpass. But they are also seen taking up nearly all the lanes of the road, thereby blocking access of other vehicles.
The footage was uploaded on July 12 by Facebook user Trisha Ann Simbulan. It had since garnered 339,000 views so far.
The MMDA shared this post on its Facebook account on Friday, July 14 and reminded motorists, especially motorcycle riders, of the risk of stopping under a footbridge to wait out the rain.
“Paalala po sa ating mga minamahal na motorista: Huwag na hintayin na mangyari na hindi makaiwas ang mga truck at masagasaan ang mga nakaharang,” it said.
“Ito po ay para na rin sa inyong kaligtasan,” it added.
MMDA also issued the same reminder to motorcycle riders in a previous post amid the erratic weather disturbances this week.
In the post, the agency attached photos that showed two locations where motorcycle riders stayed under the footbridges in the middle of the road to stay dry.
In both cases, they inadvertently caused traffic for taking up lanes of these thoroughfares.
“Ilang motorcycle riders ang na-monitor sa CCTV cameras ng MMDA na nasa gitna ng lansangan at nakasilong sa ilalim ng iba’t ibang tulay dahil sa malakas na ulan,” MMDA said.
“Paulit-ulit po namin pakiusap sa mga motorcycle riders na kapag umuulan ay iwasan magkumpulan sa ilalim ng mga tulay at footbridges dahil maari itong maging sanhi ng aksidente. Delikado ang basta-bastang paghinto sa lansangan dahil maaaring mabangga ng iba pang motorista,” it added.
Last May, amid the threat of typhoon “Betty,” MMDA Task Force Special Operations Chief Edison “Bong” Nebrija advised motorcycle riders that the practice of halting under a footbridge despite being in the middle of the road pose risks for both of them and other motorists.
Nebrija told them to carry and put on raincoats instead, citing this as a safer measure.
READ: ‘For your safety’: MMDA official advises motorcycle riders vs waiting out the rain
In the latest weather bulletin, state weather meteorologists said that the rainy weather is brought by the southwest monsoon and a tropical depression named “Dodong.”
The center of “Dodong” was estimated to be over the coastal waters of Laoag, Ilocos Norte.
The state weather bureau warned of possible flooding and landslides in most parts of the country due to scattered and heavy rainfall.
Read the rest of the bulletin here: PAGASA (dost.gov.ph).