MetroBriefs

Reflectorized vests for motorbike riders

A Marikina City councilor has endorsed an ordinance that would require motorcycle drivers and their passengers to wear reflectorized vests displaying the vehicle’s plate number. Councilor Frankie Ayuson, author of ordinance No. 11-307 Series of 2011 said his proposal was   a response to the increasing crime incidents involving criminals riding motorcycles in the past months. According to Marikina City’s public information office, Senior Supt. Gabriel Lopez had said criminals “riding in tandem” have been active in the streets, robbing and holding up people. Lopez said there were instances the robbers would hack the resisting victims with knives and then escape in their motorcycles. Once passed, the ordinance will require reflectorized vests bearing the plate number of the motorcycle to have a readable font size of four inches in height. “It has been hard for the police to identify the suspects in crimes involving   motorcycles since a motorcycle only has one plate at its rear end. By wearing reflectorized vests, it will be easier for the authorities to identify the criminals,” De Guzman said. Under the proposed measure, violators will be fined P500 for the first offense; P1,000 for the second; P1,500 for the third; and P2,500 and confiscation of the driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses. Funds generated from the penalties will be turned over to motorcycle road safety programs of the city government.  Niña Calleja

West Tower residents, FPIC check rehab work

Twenty residents of West Tower condominium in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City, on Friday invited officials of First Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC) to join them in a visual inspection of their building to assess the progress of the rehabilitation work that is currently being undertaken by FPIC.  West Tower residents led by unit owner Paul Cruz toured the 22-story condominium together with FPIC president Tony Mabasa, FPIC’s Bangkal remediation project manager Nards Ablaza and environment advocate Gina Lopez. Ablaza apprised the West Tower residents on the rehabilitation work his team has done on the condominium from May, when FPIC was allowed full access by the West Tower Condominium Homeowners’ Association until Aug. 4, when their work was halted after they were not allowed   access to the lobby and upper floors. FPIC is not allowed full access to the building which includes the lobby, upper floor hallways, roof deck and elevators, but is allowed only in the basements, where the petroleum seeped into. Upon the group’s inspection, the basements were found to be almost completely back to its original condition prior to the pipeline leak. “We have never wavered from our commitment to make the building safe and habitable for West Tower residents to return home to. We can only welcome their full cooperation to complete our rehabilitation program,” Mabasa said.