IATF to encourage bicycles as ‘primary mode of transport’ — Año

FOR BIKERS ONLY Pasig is putting up bike lanes and extending sidewalks on Caruncho, Market and Amang Rodriguez Avenues, major arteries in the city, for the protection of residents using the environment-friendly form of transport. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s task force encourages the use of bicycles as the primary mode of transportation once the country eases its restriction into general community quarantine (GCQ), Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Thursday.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)

In an interview with CNN Philippines, Año, vice chairman of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF)  for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said they would also require local government units (LGUs) to put up bicycle lanes.

“‘Yung bicycle, pi-no-promote nating primary mode of transportation so mag-uutos na rin tayo sa LGUs na mag-establish ng bike lanes sa lahat ng thoroughfares,” he said.

(For bicycles, we promote it as the primary mode of transportation so we will order LGUs to establish bike lanes in all thoroughfares.)

A cycling enthusiast tries out the 1.75-kilometer-long bike lane from Remedios Circle to Adriatico Street in Manila, the newest bike lane to be opened by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Año said they are encouraging biking for transportation, noting that the two-wheeled vehicle is also cheaper as bikes do not need gasoline to run.

Año earlier disclosed that the IATF recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte to place Metro Manila under GCQ on June 1. Duterte is expected to announce new directives for community quarantine in the country this Thursday.

Metro Manila is currently under modified enhanced community quarantine until May 31 which still suspended public and mass transportation.

Prior to the IATF recommendation, Pasig Transport identified new bike lanes to help essential workers commute amid the enhanced community quarantine.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority previously warned bikers to be aware of their health and hot weather after a rider collapsed and later died while cycling on Edsa in Makati City.