Green groups to Mike: Let’s share the road

THREE FOR THE ROAD. Cebuano environmentalists (from left) former San Francisco, Camotes Island mayor Al Arquillano and lawyers Antonio Oposa Jr. and Gloria Estenzo-Ramos huddle at the sides of the climate change forum in the UP-Cebu.

Environment lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr. yesterday challenged Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to “share  the road” with pedestrians and bicycle riders on March 30, the start of a nationwide road-sharing campaign.

In Cebu, a part of Gorordo Avenue in Lahug will be made a pilot area for the effort every Sunday for the next six months starting March 30.
Oposa handwrote his appeal on a sheet of paper and passed it around for signatures among students in a forum on climate change at the University of the Philippines where he delivered the closing remarks.

He said supporters of the campaign, spearheaded by  law students in Manila, would file a petition in court to give life to the mandate that “those with less in wheels should have more in roads”

Oposa,  lead convenor of the Road Revolution in Cebu City a few years ago,   where Osmena Boulevard was converted into a no-car road for a day,  read aloud the letter before a hundred students and guests and started passing it around for signatures.

“Palihog mag-angayay ta sa  kalsada sugod karong Marso 30 sa barangay Lahug every Sunday up to six months. Unya among i-evaluate kung gi-unsa nimo pag-implement. Salamat,” wrote Oposa in Cebuano.

About a hundred students signed the instant petition which Oposa said he would deliver to the mayor.

The first National Road Sharing Day will take place in Marikina City, Pasig  and San Juan in Metro Manila,  and Iloilo City and Cebu City in the Visayas.
A portion of the road will still be open to vehicular traffic   but part of the lanes would also be reserved for people who walk, ride bicycles, or skate.

“We shoudn’t let other cities take the lead in this when the  Road Revolution started in Cebu City,” said the environment activist.

He said part of Gorordo Avenue starting from the Lahug barangay hall  to Salinas Drive until the Waterfront Hotel “will be divided equally” for use of vehicles and pedestrians on March 30.

The plan calls for repeating this every Sunday for the next six months, during which Oposa said Cebuanos  will evaluate how the mayor is complying.

He said Cebu “cannot be left behind” by neighboring Iloilo City where local officials have already taken the lead in implementing road-sharing activities for bikers and motorists alike.
“Why are we waiting for them (public officials) to accommodate our requests? We (taxpayers) should be the ones giving orders to them because we pay their salary,” he said.

The 1st National Road Sharing Day  has the nod of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). “Now, let us challenge Cebu to become a model for the whole Philippines,” added Oposa.

Yesterday’s forum was organized by students from the Environmental Studies program of the University of the Philippines Cebu Professional Schools.