Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa —MALACAÑANG FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Wednesday urged private corporations and government institutions to provide necessary facilities for employees who would ride their bike on their way to work.
Herbosa made the suggestion during the celebration of Biyaheng Kalusugan: National Bike to Work Day in Quezon City.
“Sa mga private corporations and government institutions mag provide sana ng changing rooms, lockers, shower rooms,” the health chief told reporters.
(Private corporations and government institutions should provide changing rooms, lockers, shower rooms.)
“Alam mo naman kasi sa Pilipinas mainit eh, so pag nag bike to work ka na baka ilang kilometro pagpawisan ka talaga. So sana naman makapag-change sila para kapag nagtatrabaho ka the whole day, hindi ka amoy pawis,” he explained.
(You know it’s hot in the Philippines, so when you ride your bike to work, you might sweat just from within a few kilometers. So I hope they can change so that when they work the whole day, they don’t smell like sweat.)
He then encouraged the public to use bicycles as a mode of transportation mainly due to its health benefits.
“Heart disease, stroke, cancer, ‘yan ang mga top causes ng death natin. We’re encouraging people to become active, and cycling is one of those that can really prolong your life,” he said.
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(Heart disease, stroke, cancer—those are the top causes of our deaths. We’re encouraging people to become active, and cycling is one of those that can really prolong your life.)
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“Doing a lot of activity will keep you healthy,” he added.
Based on a Social Weather Stations report last September, at least 36 percent of households in the country use bicycles.
This shows that one out of three households has at least one member who uses a bike.
The same report showed that 24 percent of cyclists do it for “essential activities” such as going to their place of work.