MANILA, Philippines--Dust off those gloves and bike riding gear.

The Firefly Brigade will hold its 12th ?Tour of the Fireflies? bicycle ride around the city on April 18.

The Tour of the Fireflies is an annual critical mass ride that promotes the bicycle as an alternative and environmentally sensible means of transportation that will help make our cities firefly-friendly once again.

This year?s theme is ?I Vote to Bike.?

The Firefly Brigade is a citizens volunteer action group formed in 1991 to work for clean air and a habitable, people-friendly environment in the cities. Its name harkens back to the days of old when fireflies, a sign of clean air, were found all over Metro Manila.

The Firefly Brigade, however, is not supporting any presidential candidate in the May elections. The group believes the cause for cleaner air in the city transcends any one candidate and any one party.

?It?s so easy for a candidate to say he or she is for the environment. But clean air should be a concern of everyone all the time,? Ricky Pineda, president of the Firefly Brigade, said at the Tour?s launch on Friday.

?Filipinos must be reminded to practice and advocate for nonmotorized transportation because it is a form of being makabayan (patriotism). It means less dependency on fuel which translates to dollar savings for the government,? Pineda said.

Alternative lifestyle

More than the change an election would bring, he said what was really needed was a change in people?s thinking and lifestyle.

?We want to show people that change comes not just from choosing a candidate, change comes when they choose what is good for their bodies and for the environment?like riding a bike and promoting alternative modes of transportation,? Pineda said.

During the Tour?s launch on Friday, Ortigas & Co., a longtime sponsor, had a ceremonial turnover of bike racks to the Firefly Brigade, symbolizing the company?s commitment to provide bike racks in all of its commercial developments to promote nonmotorized transportation.

Joey Santos, Ortigas & Co. deputy COO and real estate division general manager, said: ?We are committed to building communities that promote healthy living and environmentally sound practices.?

The Firefly Brigade also launched RACK (Raising Awareness, Capacities and Knowledge-sharing for popularizing bicycle use in Metro Manila), a project supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Through this project, the group plans to donate at least 15 bicycle racks to public offices and spaces by December 2010.

8,000 riders

For the fifth time this year, Tiendesitas at Frontera Verde in Pasig City, will be the starting and end point of the tour, which gathers up to 8,000 bikers from all over Metro Manila.

The group will pass through Cainta, Marikina, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Taguig and Makati.

Simultaneous rides are also being organized in other urban centers like Bacolod, Laoag, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro City and General Santos City.

The Firefly Brigade, which was formed to coincide with the implementation of the Clean Air Act, stresses the importance of nonmotorized modes of transportation in promoting the law.

Every month, the group holds ?Critical Mass Rides? around the city, a sort of mini-Tour of the Fireflies, attracting some 200 riders.

Bicycle-riding culture

Besides clean air in the city, the Firefly Brigade is an advocate for the bicycle-riding culture. The group pushes for bike lanes, bike parking and bike racks, bicycle financing plans instead of car plans for employees, and ?cycling facilities? like shower rooms where employees can take quick showers before work.

Pineda himself rides his bike to work every day from Quezon City to Pasay City. His total travel time? An incredible 45 minutes.

?Bicycle riders can maneuver around traffic,? he said, adding that a taxi ride would take him an hour and a half to get to work.

Pineda said a bicycle-riding culture is a ?practical culture.? A basic bicycle costs between P5,000 and P15,000. ?And you can save money on maintenance. It?s actually between P200 to P500.?

He also argued for the safety of riding a bicycle in the city. ?Most of the accidents I?ve been in were my fault. If you look at the statistics, accidents involving motorcycles outnumber those involving bicycles. The key is visibility. You have to be seen. It also helps to ride with a companion or a group.?

Safety seminars

The Firefly Brigade also gives bike safety seminars to local government units and private corporations.

?Cycling as a form of exercise is growing. There are many weekend riders and trail riders. Bike shops are sprouting all over the city,? Pineda said.

He said he looks forward to car-less days where employees would leave their cars at home at least once every week.

And why not have free bicycle parking in public places like churches and markets?

?Why take the car when your destination is less than a kilometer and easily accessible with a bicycle?? Pineda said.