Department of Health (DOH) secretary Teodoro Herbosa has commended the efforts made by the Taguig City government to mainstream biking during the city’s Community Bike Ride on June 10.
“I’m glad that the City of Taguig has emphasized cycling,” he said in his message before 500 cyclists and bike enthusiasts. “I laud mayors like Mayor Lani [Cayetano] who have built 60 kilometers [of bike lanes]!“
Herbosa first saw the bike lanes as an adviser of the COVID-19 Task Force that visited the Taguig Lakeshore facility, he said. He added that he was impressed seeing how many bikers used them and how secure they were.
The DOH chief pledged to partner with mayors and local government units to prioritize the safety of two-wheelers, including cyclists. Inspired by its commitment to bike-friendly systems and policies, he said he would begin the project with a partnership between Taguig and DOH.
The Taguig Community Bike Ride is an annual event that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle through biking.
Herbosa shared the positive impacts of biking on health: “Walang smoke emissions which is bad for your health. You become fit. So it’s very important na mapush natin to.”
To encourage more people to choose biking, he explained, towns and cities must ensure that risks to their life and safety are eliminated.
Much remains to be desired, he noted. As a trauma surgeon at Philippine General Hospital specializing in road crashes, he explained that “70 percent of victims of road crashes are [riding] two-wheeled vehicles.”
In relation to this, his projects with Taguig and other local government units would initially focus on implementing road safety programs for cyclists.
“I’m willing to provide programs, tuturuan natin [ang cyclists] how to stop the bleeding, … to pack wounds, and put splints and tourniquets,” he said, adding that they could be trained as first responders during road crashes.
The Health secretary concluded his message by urging all the bikers to join the official Facebook page of Trauma, Injury, Burn Care Commission (TIBCC) Siklista PH, an open group for all cyclists.
The platform provides lectures and informative videos on injury prevention, road safety, the importance of wearing helmets, and the positive effects of cycling on both health and the environment.
Mayor Cayetano said her city is honored by Dr. Herbosa’s involvement in the Community Bike Ride and vows to fully support his vision, which also “reflects the values of our Transformative, Lively, and Caring City.”
