(From Philstar.Com)

The Metro Manila Council (MMC), the policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), has passed a resolution requiring all motorcycle owners and riders to put the license plate numbers of their motorcycle on both sides of their helmets to curb snatching and robberies perpetrated by motorcycle-riding men in Metro Manila.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said the resolution was passed by the MMC during its meeting on Thursday last week and will take effect 15 days after it is published in two newspapers of general circulation.

Fernando said those who attended the council meeting include Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., outgoing Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio Sr., Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar, Marikina City Vice Mayor Marion Andres representing Mayor Marides Fernando and representatives of the other Metro mayors and of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He suggested that the Metro mayors enact a common resolution stipulating that the failure to put the license plate numbers on the helmets of motorcycle owners and riders should be treated as a criminal offense and not as a mere traffic violation to thwart criminals from using motorcycles in the commission of crimes.

“No plate on the helmet should carry with it stiffer penalties – like impounding the motorcycle and the appropriate fines and charges because there is a deliberate attempt by the felon to conceal his identity and avoid positive identification by the public,” Fernando said.

He said the resolution dubbed the “Dual Motorcycle and Helmet License Plate Numbers Policy” provides that the license plate numbers be put on both sides of each helmet using a water-proof sticker in print large enough to be seen by the public.

“It has to be readable from a distance of 25 meters and should be placed 40 millimeters high on the helmet,” Fernando said.

Fernando said the resolution also adopted MMDA’s resolution no. 07-07 that was passed in February implementing the “no face shield” policy for backriders of motorcycles plying main roads and secondary streets in Metro Manila.

He said this policy requires the use of a helmet with its face shield tilted upward to reveal the face of the backrider for easy identification.

Violators of the policy will be slapped with a P3,000 fine.

“The main punishment here is the delay one has to incur, since he will be investigated by our traffic enforcer and even the police for verification if he violates the policy,” Fernando said.

MCP will be posting it’s position on this soon.