Baguio City implements weekly bike, scooter day

The Baguio City government made Sundays a bike and scooter day to encourage residents to explore alternative modes of transportation as mass transportation remains limited under the community quarantine imposed in many parts of the country due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to Bhea Docyogen’s Tuesday report on Stand For Truth, bike and scooter enthusiasts gather between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. while there are not yet many cars out on the road.

“Itong Sunday it’s a special day kasi very, very few city dito sa Pilipinas consider Sunday as a lockdown day. So we’re making this a special day for bikers, for scooter enthusiasts,” Mayor Benjamin Magalong said.

Since the policy was implemented, the number of residents participating in the bike and scooter day has gone up from 200 to almost 500.

As part of efforts to monitor the safety of the participants, bicycle marshalls and police personnel were deployed.

“This is in support do’n sa program ni Mayor to encourage people to use bikes as well as scooters,” Baguio police chief Police Colonel Allen Rae Co said.

The local government also passed, on second reading, a bike day ordinance.

The construction of bike lanes in the city is also expected to begin once the ordinance has been signed.

“Ire-realign namin ‘yung aming pondo sa isang activity. Ilalagay namin do’n sa pag-create ng bike lane and we are working closely with the bikers,” Magalong said.

“We are spending around almost P3 million para gawin ‘yung bike lane na ‘yan. That’s the initial allocation for that,” he added.  -- Julia Mari Ornedo/BAP, GMA News