Cycling in the Philippines

Bicycles were first introduced to the archipelago in the 1880s during the Spanish colonial occupation of the Philippines and served as a common mode of transport, especially among the local mestizo population.

[1] American author Joseph Earle Stevens, who was living in Manila at the time, described cycling in his journal entries in 1894.

[2] On December 18, 1895, while in exile in Dapitan, Philippine national hero Jose Rizal wrote a letter to his mother, requesting that she buy him a second-hand bicycle that he could ride to town.

Under United States Army Provost Marshal General Arthur MacArthur Jr., the Taft Commission approved City Ordinance No.

[5] During the Commonwealth period, German engineer Frank Ephraim wrote that, before the Second World War in the Philippines, door-to-door salespeople using bicycles were a common sight on the streets of Manila.

As a result, the use of bicycles became more limited to areas with little motorized road traffic, as cycling remained popular as a sport and for cyclotourism.

However, the lack of cycling infrastructure in cities has caused many altercations between users of bicycles and motorized vehicles, leading to a growing clamor for active transportation infrastructure to promote cycling as a safe, a sustainable mode of transportation, and to alleviate traffic congestion.

The order also created a Task Group on Fossil Fuels (TGFF), headed by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to develop a new mobility paradigm favoring non-motorized locomotion, following the principle that "those who have less in wheels must have more in road".

[13] This was followed by an administrative order mandating that the DOTC and the TGFF create a "national environmentally sustainable transport strategy" for the country.

This was followed by bidirectional shared-use paths on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, the Marikina-Infanta Highway in Marikina and Pasig, EDSA in Makati, and Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

In an interview, Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista also floated the idea of designating the inner roads of residential subdivisions as cycling corridors.

As a result, cycling as a mode of transport grew in popularity among Filipinos who needed to go to and from their workplace safely and efficiently.

[22] With the country transitioning into the looser general community quarantine and in anticipation of people returning to work, the MMDA, in coordination with cyclists and scooter riders pushing for permanent active transport infrastructure, conducted a dry run of pop-up bicycle lanes along EDSA, the main thoroughfare in Metro Manila, on July 3, 2020, for World Bicycle Day.

[24] On September 15, 2020, the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act provided recovery and resilience interventions and mechanisms related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The act declared the need to accommodate alternative modes of transportation, including bicycle lanes on all roads in cities, municipalities, and provinces.

88 series of 2020, divides bicycle lanes or bikeways into three classes, based on prevailing road and traffic conditions.

Class IIa bicycle lanes are distinguished by physical separation using bollards, curbs, plant boxes, concrete barriers, or a median strip with elevation changes, similar to cycle tracks.

[40] Pavement markings are recommended on roads with low to moderate traffic volume (AADT of 3,000 to 6,000 vehicles) and an operating speed of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour (25 to 31 mph), while physical separation is recommended on roads with high traffic volume (an AADT of 6,000 to 8,000 vehicles or more) and an operating speed of 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph) or higher.

[56] Folding bicycles are allowed onboard trains if they do not exceed the LRTA's baggage size limitations of 2 by 2 feet (61 by 61 cm).

[57] Starting February 1, 2012, after much persuasion from advocacy groups, MRT Line 3 began allowing folding bicycles on trains, albeit only those with wheels not more than 20 inches (51 cm) in diameter.

[59] The Pasig River Ferry Service, operated by the MMDA, allows both folded and full-sized bicycles to be carried onboard, free of charge.

Only a third of respondents began cycling during the pandemic, most of whom did not own a car or motorcycle and would take public transport when not using their bicycles.

[62] Since 2020, the Social Weather Stations has conducted 13 surveys nationwide assessing the ownership and use of bicycles as a mode of transportation and as a recreational activity.

[64][additional citation(s) needed] There are several annual road cycling tours in the country, often spanning long distances such as from Manila to Baguio.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of attention to developing bicycle infrastructure in the Philippines had been a point of criticism for cyclists and mobility advocates clamoring for alternative modes of transportation.

These individuals and groups cited high levels of traffic congestion and overcrowding on public transport as reasons to prioritize the development of cycling infrastructure.

[22] When the Philippine government increased its focus on active transport infrastructure during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was met with public support.

This raised concerns about confusion among road users and an increased risk of accidents involving both cyclists and motorists.

[32] In response to Deakin's column, voice-over artist and content creator Inka Magnaye showed annoyance at the "bandaid solution" design of the bicycle lanes, and urged safety improvements.

Her remarks were interpreted as a criticism of bicycle lanes, sparking discussions on road safety for drivers and cyclists alike.