The fascination of Ilonggos with biking and the city government’s initiatives in creating bike-friendly infrastructure and policies have already positioned Iloilo City as the ‘Bike Capital of the Philippines’.
With this, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and other partner agencies have chosen Iloilo City to be the host of the National Bike Day (NBD) Awards and Recognition on November 24-26, 2023, which aims to advocate the advantages of active transportation, promote a healthy lifestyle, and ensure ecological integrity through a clean and healthy environment.
The city, which is already a two-time Gold Awardee for both Mobility Awards and Bike Lane Awards, will no longer participate in the contest, but will already serve as one of the judges for 17 awards that are up for grabs during the event.
Biking in Iloilo City has already served as an efficient and safe mode of transportation for Ilonggos, particularly during rush hour. (Photo from Iloilo City Government)
These opportunities given to Iloilo City to host and be one of the judges in this national event didn’t just happen as swiftly as driving on a highway, but like cycling on a mountain trail that needs a strong and courageous pedal to reach the finish line.
Some of the notable projects and policies initiated by the city
government to promote biking in the metro include the construction of the 11-kilometer protected bike path called Iloilo City Bike Network and the implementation of the I-Bike program that bagged the 2022 Galing Pook Awards.
The I-Bike program, which promotes the development of the city’s bike-friendly culture, is also an expansion of existing initiatives from the public and private sectors, as it encourages the public to practice safe mobility and road sharing.
Iloilo City was also proclaimed the country’s “Most Bike-Friendly City” during the PhilBike Awards at the PhilBike Expo in 2018.
Aside from these, Iloilo City Regulation Ordinance No. 2016-299 penalizes motorized vehicles that pass on, obstruct, or excavate designated bike lanes with a P2,000 fine and the issuance of a citation ticket. The City Legal Office is tasked with filing a case within three days for the failure of the driver to pay for the citation.
Iloilo City currently has existing 50-kilometer bike paths, but plans are also underway for the inclusion of bike lanes in new roads and conversion into a bike highway for the slope protection of rivers and creeks. Once completed, the city government’s bike network can extend up to 100 kilometers in the next five years.
Hundreds of cyclists have previously joined the Iloilo City Bike Festival which solidified the city’s tagline as the ‘Bike Capital of the Philippines’. (Photo from Iloilo City Government)
‘ALL CYCLISTS PEDAL TO ILOILO CITY’
The city government is expecting thousands of bike enthusiasts around the country to participate in the three-day celebration, saying that they have already conducted simulations for the activities and ironed out the security and traffic preparations.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, in his recent interview, also noted that the event serves as an avenue to embrace the city’s successful bike initiatives, which are worthy of emulation by other local government units (LGUs).
“It is our pride to host the National Bike Day Awards 2023. As the ‘Bike Capital of the Philippines’ and two-time Bike Lanes Gold Awardee, this is a great way to promote sustainable lifestyle and active transportation not only here in Iloilo City but also in the whole country,” Treñas added, saying this will be the first time that the event will be held outside Manila.
The awarding ceremonies will highlight the celebration of NBD on Nov. 26 to be co-hosted by the Iloilo City Government, Interagency Technical Working Group for Active Transport (IATWG-AT) led by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) – Active Transport Project Office, Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI), and SM City Iloilo.
Included in the list of awards are Notable Public Official for Active Transport, Notable Competitive Cyclist, Notable Commuter Cyclist, Notable Leisure Cyclist, Notable Storyteller, Notable Bicycle-related Corporate Initiative, and Notable Bicycle-related Micro, Small and Medium Initiative, Notable Advocacy Initiative, LGU Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards, Bike Lane Infrastructure Quality Award, and End-of-Trip Infrastructure Quality Award.
The protected bike lanes in Iloilo City have assured the safety of bikers and boosted the city’s bike-friendly culture. (Photo from Iloilo City Government)
The city government also said in a press conference that some of the reasons for the LGUs to be given awards include the proper implementation of local policies related to the promotion of bike culture; the different bike infrastructure, like bike lanes, built to ensure the safety of the cyclists; and other innovations and programs they made to boost the engagement of biking among the locals, emphasizing the importance of a non-motorized form of transportation.
Other exciting side activities include Bike Expo, Vintage Bike Exhibit, Band Performance, Criterium Races, Active Mobility Forum, Bike Fashion Show, Food Festival, Night Ride – Food Crawl, Band Performance, and Kiddie Fun Race.
Meanwhile, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure James Melad, in a video message, urged the LGUs to join the celebration of the 2023 NBD and get a broader base of cycling enthusiasts to promote bicycles as a way of sustained mobility and improving health.
“Cycling, beyond being a means of transportation, embodies a powerful statement of our values and aspirations. It’s a statement about choosing a lifestyle that promotes health, reduces our carbon footprint, and fosters a sense of community. The National Bike Day Awards and Recognition is a call to action, a call to embrace these values and celebrate the joy of cycling,” Melad noted, citing that Presidential Proclamation 1052, series of 2022, declared the last Sunday of November as NBD to emphasize the importance of a non-motorized form of transportation. (AAL/JNH/PIA Iloilo)
