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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Nat’l Bike Day highlights PH active transport

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In celebration of the National Bicycle Day, key government and private sector representatives joined hands at the Bike Lane Awards to showcase and recognize efforts of different stakeholders to promote cycling and other active transport modalities in the country.

BIKERS’ DAY. Cyclists in Makati City celebrate the 8th National Bicycle Day with a 50-km parade traversing the cities of Makati, Pasay , Manila, Quezon City, and Taguig, while their children enjoy their own mini-track, complete with costumed friends, at the Makati City Hall quadrangle on Sunday (below). Diana Noche

Organized by the Inter-Agency Task Force Technical Working Group on Active Transport, leading the event were Health Undersecretary Beverly Ho, Metro Manila Center for Health Development Director Gloria Balboa, and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

During the event, Ho discussed the importance of developing adequate and sufficient active transport infrastructure in enabling Filipinos to develop healthy habits, such as regularly engaging in physical activities, the DOH said in a statement.

Towards this end, Ho highlighted the DOH’s efforts in supporting the active transport initiatives of several LGUs, such as Cordova, Isabela, Aklan, Marikina, and Bulacan, through provision of financial and technical assistance.

She likewise lauded the efforts of the winning LGUs, particularly Mandaue City, Quezon City, and Iloilo City.

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DOH OIC Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire extended her support for the event, emphasizing collaboration as key to improving the health and wellness of Filipinos for a Healthy Pilipinas.

“For us in the health sector, a key learning from the pandemic is that minimum public health standards such as masking and physical distancing are not enough to create healthy and pandemic-resilient communities; we must also create settings that encourage healthy behaviors such as physical activity,” she said.

“This is why we are proud to stand with our partners from the DOTr, the DPWH, the DILG, from local governments, civil society, and the private sector, who we worked with to make active transport safer and more accessible for Filipinos,” Vergeire said.

“In just two years, the Philippines built over 500 kilometers of bicycle and active transport lanes, benefitting thousands. At any time, this is no small feat, but during the pandemic, we managed to achieve the impossible,” she said.

“We are grateful to our local governments for not only recognizing the importance of active transport, but for taking the lead in building municipalities and cities that make active transport possible.”

NATIONAL BIKE DAY. Hundreds of bikers ride around Metro Manila starting from Makati City on Sunday to mark the 8th National Bicycle Day, celebrated every 4th Sunday of November. Norman Cruz

“Mabuhay kayong lahat—awarded or not, know that the Department of Health will continue to support and work with you, to promote active transport and other healthy behaviors, para sa Healthy Pilipinas,” the DOH OIC said.

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