By Aris Ilagan

After his more than two years’ stint as chief of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), this controversial personality never seemed to have faded at all. He is still around, alive and kicking.

I bumped into him at one of the biker booze sessions in Metrowalk in Pasig City. Having thought that this meeting with motorcycle buddies would just end in another drinking spree, Berroya told us a surprising good news.

“Hey guys, President Arroyo has just approved our proposal that the government declare a ‘Philippine Motorcyclist Week’ this coming May. Isn’t that great?,” Berroya said.

An avid rider himself, Berroya considered GMA’s declaration of a ‘Motorcyclist Week’ that will fall on the second week of May as a big boost in their group’s campaign to promote riding safety and discipline. Berroya is presently the national president of the National Federation of Motorcycle Club of the Philippines, composed of some 3,000 motor bike clubs in the country.

For him, a bigger reason to celebrate is that the kick-off ceremonies for the ‘Motorcyclist Week’ will coincide with the holding of the 15th National Motorcycle Convention spearheaded by the NFMC on May 8 to 10. The venue will be the country’s summer capital Baguio City with Mayor Reinaldo Bautista co-hosting the event.

Under the banner of “One Philippines,” the motorcycle convention aims to harness millions of Filipino motorcycle riders and enthusiasts in the country to promote road safety, patriotism and eco-consciousness.

Convincing? Maybe. But Berroya was quick to expound on the objectives of the convention.

First, NFMC will be giving free seminars on road safety, discipline and courtesy among the participants. Second, patriotism will focus on uniting all motorcycle clubs in a bid to come up with one voice to uphold the bikers’ rights. And lastly, promoting eco-consciousness will be done by conducting a massive tree planting activity in Ambuklao Dam and other threatened watershed areas.

While reading this, many would probably be surprised after learning on what these bunch of riders are up to. Always painted in the picture as the “bad boys on the road,” the three-day convention seemed to have provided these riders a venue where they will be molded as responsible members of the society.

Now picture Berroya as the class teacher with a big stick.

As LTO chief, Berroya led a series of seminars for motorcycle riders on riding safety and discipline. With the support of Honda Philippines, he was able to impart road courtesy and discipline on hundreds of riders, most of them owning the underbone-type of two wheelers.

The so-called underbone and scooter riders comprise almost 80 percent of the country’s two million motorcycle owners.

After he left the LTO, Berroya – who is now assistant secretary for communications (Department of Transportation and Communications), the seminars on riding safety was thrown out with him.

No government official has shown concern for bikers than Berroya. His efforts were deeply appreciated even by ordinary motorists who have been praying for discipline for motorcyclists.

Now Berroya is back with a vengeance.

He was able to convince President Arroyo to lead the flag-off ceremony for the “Unity Run” of the expected 20,000 participants on the convention. The “Unity Run” will be participated in by both big and small bikes.

As an incentive, President Arroyo reportedly approved Berroya’s request to allow motorbikes with engines below 400cc to use the NLX and SCTEX during the duration of the convention. According to Berroya, their aim is to land on the Guiness Book of World Records as having organized the longest convoy of motorcycles in one event.

Senator Gregorio “ Gringo” Honasan, a member of the Lawin Motorcyclists Club where this writer also belongs, has expressed his willingness to join.

Berroya invited his classmate from Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to LMC for the bikers to have a strong representation in the Senate.

Not only that, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero learned about the convention and is willing to come along.

Definitely an event to watch out for, the 15th National Motorcycle Convention will surely draw attention from people from all parts of the country knowing the importance of the motorcycle as a mode of transportation for Filipinos.

(from the column “Slippery When Wet”)