Taguig to become a 'Bike City'

As public transport remains limited due to community quarantine measures amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, workers and residents of Taguig City on Wednesday welcomed the local government's move to promote biking as an alternative means of transportation.

In time for the World Bicycle Day on Wednesday, Taguig City launched a comprehensive plan to emphasize the role of biking as an essential mode of transportation for both residents and workers.

The Taguig City government set up bike lanes along Cayetano Boulevard and Bayani Road, and renovated the protected bike lane along C6 Road, all for a three-day demo showcasing that biking is doable in Taguig.

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The program would also test the volume of bikers "who can use the routes for essential travels during the general community quarantine for the purpose of establishing an integrated bike path within the city”

To get things going, Taguig created an Active Transport Office dedicated to studying the ways Taguig could champion biking to citizens and become a bike-friendly city.

This was made possible through the “Bike-Friendly Taguig Ordinance,” which was signed on June 1. This is part of the city’s push for biking as an important step in a bigger agenda to champion healthy and sustainable living.

Among others, the ordinance also outlines the rights and obligations of cyclists, and the city’s various commitments to ensure biking is safe and rewarding for citizens.

This will ensure the new culture is fostered where it was born. Taguig City will procure bikes and helmets which may be borrowed by employees to travel between work and home.

It will also hone partnerships with the business sector, which is expected to play a central role in increasing bike-friendly spots across the city.

The Active Transport Office will contact malls and other establishments to provide bike racks for employees and customers, even to create programs to incentivize or subsidize those who would like to switch to biking as their method of transportation between work and home.

Even law enforcers will begin using bikes. A bike patrol team will also be deputized to move around in bikes to ensure health and safety protocols are maintained in high foot traffic areas across Taguig. They are equipped with first-aid kits and tools for simple bike repairs, just in case their assistance is needed.

The City Health Office and barangay health centers will also launch bike-lending programs similar to that for City Hall employees, which will enhance the mobility of our healthcare workers.

To raise awareness of the cycling movement, “Education Hour” will air special classes on bicycles. The online classes premiering on “I Love Taguig” will introduce viewers to key facts about biking, proper etiquette, health benefits and more.

“We treat people who embrace active mobility, such as cyclists and pedestrians, as first-class citizens. We are preparing the infrastructure, the incentives, and other measures to make transport in the city safe, inclusive, and sustainable,” said Mayor Lino Cayetano.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government earlier urged all local government units to establish bicycle lanes along local roads to support those who would bike to their work destination due to the reduced capacity of public transportation under the general community quarantine.

Source: I Love Taguig