The Metro Manila Bike Lane Network along Roxas Blvd. in Manila. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Mark Villar has filed a bill outlining the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of bicycle riders in the country.
In a statement, Villar said his bill, the Bicycle Act of 2022, seeks to “provide a framework for a bicycle law on a national level so that Filipino commuters may find a cheaper alternative to get to their destination while saving the environment from harmful emissions.”
The measure enumerates the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of cyclists:
- Ride on any public road or street that has been designated as bikeway;
- Know the use of right and left turn signals;
- Adhere to the appropriate speed;
- Wear a helmet at all times, where the chin strap is securely fastened;
- Equip the bike with reflective materials when riding at night;
- Obey all traffic rules and regulations;
- Not riding on crosswalks or sidewalks, but only on bikeways;
- Not clinging to another vehicle; and
- Not carrying more riders than the bike was designed for, unless they’re on a towed seat or trailer, among others.
The measure likewise pushes for the creation of the Local Bikeway Office (LBO), tasked with implementing the rules and regulations of the measure.
Villar said the LBO is also tasked with managing the construction and maintenance of a bikeway network, including identifying a bikeway roadmap.
The senator stressed that cost-efficient, cheaper, and environmentally friendly transportation, such as bicycles, are needed to help daily commuters during the surge of fuel prices in the global market.
“Hindi lamang makakatulong sa pangkalusugan ang pagbibisikleta, ngunit nagbibigay din ng alternatibong solusyon sa mataas na presyo ng gasolina, pagtaas ng pamasahe sa transportasyon, polusyon sa hangin, ingay at kabilang ang mga bayad sa paradahan,” Villar said.
(Not only does cycling help develop our health, but it also provides an alternative solution to high fuel prices, increased transportation fares, air pollution, noise, and parking fees.)
Villar said he is confident that the bill will boost bicycle use as alternative transportation and provide additional safety interventions to protect cyclists from danger. – Christine Annie Asistio, INQUIRER.net intern