Whither the 'Motorada'?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Managing Editor ANTONIETA B. LOPEZ Business Editor ODETTE MONTELIBANO Desk Editor MARY ANN BARCELONA Advertising Coordinator RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete

ANDRES R. LEONARDIA Managing Director

Trust the Filipino to take lightly anything that appears to be simply a source of entertainment and fun. This Filipino trait was proven once more in the so-called "Motorada 2005" held last Sunday afternoon as part of the celebration of the Buglasan Festival of Festivals in Dumaguete City.

More than just a highlight of the Buglasan, however, the "motorada, " actually a motorcycle parade, was held to establish a record of sorts for the Guinness Book of World Records. To drum up interest and awareness of the rare event, representatives from national media organizations were visibly covering the event that had no less than Negros Oriental Gov. George Arnaiz leading the pack of motorcycle-riding participants. It could be seen that the "motorada" was also held to underscore the claims of Dumaguete and Negros Oriental to the monicker "motorcycle capital of the Philippines."

But the response last Sunday was perhaps too enthusiastic for comfort that, in the end, it resulted without any clear documentation of the exact number of participating motorcyclists. Yes, an earlier registration of participating motorcycles had been done a month before the event, which was a good move for monitoring and validating the annual registration of all vehicles with the Land Transportation Office, one of the partner agencies for the event.

But good intentions will not end well without the utmost cooperation of the public, particularly the participants themselves and their generous sponsors. Despite the information that the province was hoping to establish a record, the atmosphere, alas, was less than serious. Despite the guidelines and rules that the organizing committee had released earlier, some over-enthusiastic motorcyclists simply joined the bandwagon without thought of order and decorum. Some even engaged each other in a race, which, definitely, it was not.

Had it not been emphasized that it was intended to be a record-breaking event, then the antics of some entries could have been forgiven easily. It would have been all right if the event was simply just to gather all motorcyclists to create a fiesta-like atmosphere. After all, in a fiesta, anything goes and everyone is allowed to let their hair down.

But the province had staked so much in this opportunity to project itself in what could be a bid for more tourism attention and to stand out in this unique way, that what actually happened is really a great pity.*