3 Metro cities hailed as most bike-friendly

Pasig, San Juan and Marikina were hailed as the most bicycle-friendly cities in Metro Manila in the first ever Mobility Awards, which recognize leadership efforts in making urban spaces conducive to cyclists amid the pandemic.

Both Pasig and San Juan bagged the gold award while Marikina got the silver award, besting nine other cities which were nominated for the category.

Promoting health

“It’s great to have this recognition for efforts the city has had in promoting sustainable transportation and on the city scale, doing what we can to fight multiple health problems we have in our urban environment like climate change, air pollution and traffic congestion,” said Anton Siy, chief transport planner of the Pasig City government, during the virtual awarding ceremonies on Thursday.

By initiating programs for cyclists, such as Pasig City’s Employee Bike Loan Program, Siy’s team was recognized for responding to the challenge of providing sustainable transport at the forefront of urban policies on the city level.

“We know that Pasig City is just one of Metro Manila’s many cities and we’re all interdependent on each other to promote sustainable transportation across this shared home of ours, of Metro Manila, of the Philippines and the entire world,” Siy said.