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MANILA, Philippines — Organizers of the BOSS Ironman Motorcycle Challenge (BIMC) are seriously considering suspending the endurance run for 2025.
They acknowledge the need to reformat the event after two deaths occurred during its 2024 edition.
BMW Owners Society of Saferiders (BOSS) President Joseph Tan talked about the suspension on Thursday at the hearing of the House committee on transportation.
The proceeding pertains to a resolution filed by 1-Rider party-list Reps. Bonifacio Bosita and Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez.
“Walang kapalit ‘yong buhay eh (there’s no replacement for life). So, as the president and with the board, we are strongly thinking or contemplating (the future of) the event, not to push through,” Tan told the committee members.
“We have to reformat if we have to,” he explained.
“So, ‘yon po Mr. Chair. The board is seriously contemplating, reviewing not to push through for the event because of the two deaths that had happened,” Tan said.
Tan’s statements were prompted by questions from La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V, who noted that public roads are not conducive for such events.
The BIMC activity covers 1,200 kilometers in a span of 24 hours.
“What we want to know is their plans for the future. What does BOSS intend to do after these incidents? Ortega asked.
“What is their next move because definitely, there are risks on open roads. We know that,” he stressed.
“I don’t want to say this, but here in the Philippines, it might not be the most conducive area for us to do this. Sometimes, even crossing dogs would lead to accidents,” he noted.
READ: Solons want probe into motorcycle endurance run mishaps
When pressed further by Gutierrez, Tan said that the board realized that the event should not be held on a public road.
“If there will be probably another event, Mr. Chair, it will be totally reformatted. The realization of the board is that it cannot be on the road,” Tan repeated.
During the hearing, videos taken by netizens were also played, showing the extreme speeds used by BIMC participants.