THE “City of Love” was bitten by the cycling bug.
Iloilo was proclaimed the “Most Bike-Friendly City” in the country by the PhilBike Awards during the 2018 PhilBike Expo at the World Trade Center Manila – a triumph and culmination of sorts for an initiative led largely by passionate Ilonggo cyclists, with the support of the local government.
Representing Iloilo City, Wilfredo Sy Jr., director of the Iloilo Bike Festival this year and one of the movers and leaders of the local biking community, received the “Most Bike-Friendly City” plaque on Sept. 9.
“The Ilonggo cycling community is very active and vibrant, buhi gid,” shared Sy. “You can see it with the multitude bike-related events we have every month. Seeing the frequency of our group rides here, compared to other bike-friendly cities, leading gid ang Iloilo.”
“As I see it, the people are the true champions of the [bike-friendly campaign] here in the city. Damu ta very passionate bikers and bike groups, who see cycling not just as a sport, not just a hobby, but as a lifestyle and a mode of daily transport,” he continued.
Even before becoming the director of the Iloilo Bike Festival, Sy – an architect and urban planner – has worked pro bono with the Department of Public Work and Highways in designing the “university loop,” a bike lane seen to connect major schools in the city, to complement Iloilo’s protected bike lanes along Diversion Road, already dedicated solely for cyclists. When completed, 58,000 students are set to benefit from the loop.
“Ako, personally bias ako sa bicycle as a means of transport,” explained Sy, a member of numerous local bike groups. “I hope there will come a time, when full-blast all Ilonggo citizens and establishments will appreciate the thought of bikes as transport. This will surely lessen traffic here.”
“Imagine going from SM City Iloilo to Megaworld [Iloilo Business Park], always traffic, but if you think about it, tam-an ka lapit kung mag-bisikleta ka it’s just a few minutes away,” he furthered.
Now with the “Most Bike-Friendly City” plum, Ilonggo cyclists are clamoring “What’s next?” – pushing for an education drive campaign, more supporting city ordinances, and the resumption of work on the “university loop” bike lanes, which has sadly been halted due to a lack of proper consultation with motorists and other local stakeholders.
“We had a wide-ranging plan for the city, a comprehensive bike lane for the city – nearly100-kilometer route that started at the Iloilo International Airport and connected all seven districts of the city, linking all plazas and major schools,” Sy told Panay News.
“Imagine being able to bike around the entire city with ease, more Ilonggos would surely be encouraged to try out cycling as a means of day-to-day transportation,” he furthered. “Unfortunately, it lacked extensive public consultation before being implemented, muna ngaa it was not received well. In the previous project, the city only got the opinion of the cyclists, we should include motorists, jeepney drivers, pedestrians, and other stakeholders in the conversation.”
With a mounting “share the road” campaign, Ilonggo bikers are hoping plans for the comprehensive bike lane push through in the near future.
“Siling gane sing mga upod ko: We won na gane, ‘Most Bike-Friendly City’ na ta, dapat ibalik ta na ang plans for the comprehensive bike lane,” related Sy.
The city celebrated the most “bike-friendly” plum with a “Celebration Ride” on Sept. 23, joined by hundreds of Iloilo cyclists.
Also, “Dahan-Dahan sa Daan,” a road safety bike ride, is set for this Oct. 13. The campaign focuses on pushing local government units in the Philippines to adopt and enact ordinances with speed limits and appropriate speed management measures, and to encourage the public to follow proper speed on the road.
Currently, Iloilo City has two bike-related ordinances: Ordinance 2014-193 (An ordinance requiring government and non-government buildings with existing parking spaces to provide a safe bicycle parking zone) and Ordinance 2016-299 (the Benigno Aquino Avenue bike lane ordinance).
The PhilBike Expo is the only international-standard platform in the country dedicated to the development and continuing growth of the local cycling and all other cycling-related, health, fitness, recreation and active lifestyles industries.
Here are a few safety tips Ilonggos should keep in mind when traversing our city on two wheels:
- Protect Your Head. Always wear a helmet.
- Stay Visible. If drivers can see you, they are less likely to hit you. Use lights when biking at night or in low-light conditions. Reflectors and visibility gear can also come in handy.
- Look, Signal & Look Again. Use hand signals to let drivers and other bicyclists know where you’re going. Look and make eye contact. Don’t assume drivers will stop.
- Stay Alert. Keep a lookout for obstacles in your path.
- Go with the Flow. Bike in the direction of traffic.
- Act like a Car. Drivers are used to the patterns of other drivers. Don’t weave in and out of traffic. The more predictably you ride, the safer you are. Check for traffic. Be aware of traffic around you.
- Don’t Get Distracted. Don’t listen to music or talk on the phone while riding.
- Obey all Traffic Laws & Lights.
- Assure Bicycle Readiness. Is your bicycle properly adjusted? Is your saddle in a comfortable position? Make the adjustments while you still can.
- Do a Quick Bicycle Test. Before every journey, check your brakes and your wheels. Make sure that “quick release” wheels are properly secured./PN
