MANILA, Philippines–Could the Philippines be a biker’s haven just like the Netherlands? A nationwide coalition of bikers hopes so as it works to gather 10 million signatures in a campaign prodding the government to make this dream a reality.
Motorists were forced to give way on Roxas Boulevard on Sunday as thousands of advocates took over a three-kilometer stretch of the thoroughfare to push for what they call a “fair and just sharing” of road space among motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
“We want a change in the state of roads here in the Philippines,” said Romar Crisostomo of the National Bicycle Organization (NBO). “Right now, our roads are optimized for the use of and are being hogged by motor vehicles when, as we have found out, only a very small part of the population own cars.”
This is in contrast to the conditions in European countries, like the Netherlands and Denmark, which give premium to pedestrians and cyclists and have developed road networks and infrastructure dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists, Crisostomo noted.
“What about the majority of Filipinos who don’t own vehicles and just commute, ride a bike, or walk to get to their destination? Our roads should also be made to work for them, not just for those with motor vehicles. We should change the mentality that the road is only for motor vehicles.”
This is the vision of the Bayanihan sa Daan project, which was started by various environmental advocacy and hobby groups, including the NBO. The movement, which has sought the cooperation of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways and other government agencies, hopes to demonstrate that national roads can be shared with pedestrians and cyclists.
“We have closed off the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard and dedicated it to cyclists and pedestrians. What we have done today is proof of our concept showing that we can have road-sharing within our current infrastructure,” Crisostomo said. “We need to get into what we call a ‘road diet.’”
The organization hopes that the Bayanihan setup—which closes the southbound lanes of Roxas Boulevard from Rizal Park to the CCP Complex—can be done every Sunday, at least from 3 a.m. to noon. It is confident that the scheme can be replicated on Edsa also on Sundays.