In the latter half of 2023, I was at the hospital practically every day for check-ups, tests, procedures, and dialysis, as I was preparing for a kidney transplant. I saw people from all walks of life experiencing various health-related problems. Some were on charity, barely able to afford the fare to get to the hospital. Some were too old and sick, waiting to expire, others like me who had great difficulty finding a suitable donor, and even more people who had numerous health problems, one on top of each other, and complicating their comorbidities. It made me appreciate good health, freedom of movement, independence, a steady income to afford to care for yourself and your family, and ultimately, to appreciate what truly matters: to simply live, and not be a burden to family, enjoying one another. I have developed great empathy for people who struggle simply because they desire to survive. That makes up 99 percent of the Filipino people.
Then, there are external events beyond one’s control that, in an instant, adversely impacts your life and the life of your family. You pass away prematurely or equally worse, are unable to live and work independently, and become a burden to your family.
Such was the case in the recently concluded BOSS Ironman Motorcycle Challenge Luzon Leg, an endurance challenge which requires participants to complete a route covering 1,200 kilometers within 24 hours.
The BOSS Ironman, however, is everything that is wrong in today’s society. The gross display of entitlement, and the social injustice of the privileged class vaingloriously brandishing their money and power as absolute, allowing them to do as they please, inherently believing that their social status of being in the top one percent of the country can and will fix all wrongs, thus, allowing them to get away with causing death, yet get away with it. Despite two confirmed deaths on mainstream media (we don’t even know if there are other unreported deaths that have already been swept under the rug), the organizers have the temerity to call the BOSS Ironman event a ‘success.’
I watched the 2011 Malaysian Moto GP and when Marco Simoncelli expired at the racetrack, the race was immediately stopped even if the event had yet to run two full laps. Race or not, cancelling the 2024 BOSS Ironman after a single death, let alone two, would have been the prudent, respectful and conscientious thing to do.
Social media has been very instrumental in showcasing the vile, barbaric and entitled, not to mention reckless behavior of some of the BOSS Ironman participants: the two motorcycles who counter-flowed on a blind sweeping corner at speed and collided with another motorcyclist. How another BOSS Ironman participant arrogantly manhandled another person in front of a policeman? These digital recordings are proof of their misdeeds seen by millions. Will we just forget and ignore these?
The argument of the organizers is that they make safeguards to ensure safety. They hire marshals and coordinate with local law enforcement agencies through towns they pass through. The question though is, if it were really NOT a race, do the organizers even need to hire marshals and coordinate with the LGU? The participants can be just like any other two-wheeler passing through towns, observing the speed limits and local traffic laws. Why should they be given any special accommodation? And why were the participants given special VIP passage through many of the towns that allowed them to speed through like the speed demons that they are?
Apparently, money talks. A source very familiar to the event disclosed that companies like Wheeltek, Sailun Tires, Motul and Unioil paid millions to be major sponsors and presenters of the event. That’s on top of the roughly 1,900 participants who each paid P7,500 plus another P3,000 for the ‘VIP’ Package. My basic math shows at least P14.25 million in gross revenues. The reality could easily be double this.
And it looks like there was another package that came as standard: the VEP or Very Entitled Package.
Then there is the question of where the money went? Charity supposedly but when I would ask around, nobody knew which charity benefited from the event.
Another argument foisted by the organizers is that such an event as theirs promotes local moto-tourism. Do pray tell, where the participants stop, spend time, admire the local culture, interact with locals, enjoy scenic spots, and spend some of their money on these towns? None. Because they are too intent to blast through the towns at break-neck speeds, rousing and disturbing families resting from a long day from work and school, so as to get ready for the following day’s struggles, all by rich, well-moneyed people who have nothing better to do with their time and money than to be a menace to the public, acting all high and mighty, with total disregard for the safety and security of others. It is no wonder then, that cities and municipalities like Baguio and Baler do not allow BOSS Ironman participants to pass through their borders because previous events caused tragedies in their respective localities.
I know this strong opinion of mine against the BOSS Ironman is not just my own. I reached out to several motorcycle organizations and they shared an even stronger opinion against the BOSS Ironman and how it negatively portrayed all big bike motorcycle riders. Several corporate entities have declined to sponsor and very strongly disassociate themselves from the event and its organizers precisely because accidents and casualties keep mounting each year but, just always, gets swept under the rug. All too often, P50,000 is all one would (allegedly) typically pay as ‘blood money,’ to settle things with a poor family, whereas their motorcycle, accessories and gear, are in the millions. Is the average Filipino life valued ONLY at P50,000?
The BOSS Ironman isn’t a riding event, and sadly, it isn’t even a race. It’s an event to allow a few entitled motorcyclists to arrogantly brandish their wealth and power, disregarding the law of the land with impunity over peaceful communities who simply want to survive and get by. And it continues on each year despite the accidents. It continues not just because of the considerable money involved, but because the organizers are allowing rich private individuals who are often captains of industry, as well as elected leaders, appointed government officials and officers from the law enforcement and armed forces branches of government, to participate. The event has the de facto protection of the people who are supposed to be protecting us, the peaceful constituents who are going about our business in a law-abiding manner.
There is hope. Just soon after I finished this article, Congress through Representatives Bonifacio Bosita and Ramon Rodriguez Gutierrez introduced House Resolution 1612 instructing the Committees of Transportation, Public Order and Safety to launch a formal inquiry in aid of legislation. Both Representatives are backed by 1-Rider, a party-list that educates, provides legal aid as necessary, and looks out for the welfare of motorcycle riders. Let’s hope this investigation goes somewhere, and isn’t just for show.
