Road sharing kicks off in 4 other cities to promote ‘liveable’ urban centers

Iloilo city’s pedestrian and bicycle-friendly Esplanade (left) by the cleaned up Iloilo River is a “game changer” for urban life among Ilonggos. In Cebu City, the lobby continues to provide bicycle lanes in main streets.

Iloilo City, with its wide, scenic lanes along the Esplanade for walking and biking by the Iloilo River, will lead the way in the first national road sharing celebration tomorrow.

Hundreds of cyclists will go on a 25-kilometer heritage tour around the city, with half of the roads designated for cars and the other half for walking and bicycles.

Cebu City was supposed to be one of five major cities across the country to kick off the environment-friendly initiative for “liveable” urban space. Other cities are Pasig, Marikina and San Juan in Metro Manila.

But local convenors had to drop back because bike lanes were not marked out in time along Gorordo Avenue, a national road.

Instead, the bikers group Tindak Sugbo will assemble outside SM City today to celebrate Earth Hour and the mall’s installation of 20 bicycle racks in its parking areas.

“The government is not ready. Dili manglihok ang taga DPWH (The Department of Public Works and Highways is not moving),” said environment lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, one of the local convenors.

Although DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson was interested in the activity and earlier expressed support, his staff in Cebu said they have to wait first for a memo from the head office in Manila.

“It’s unfortunate that government officials don’t understand that by encouraging people to bike, walk and lessen the use of cars, we are actually making everybody healthier,” said Estenzo-Ramos, who lamented the lukewarm response and said Cebu is “regressing” compared to other cities.

The plan was to have a symbolic marking of bike lanes in Gorordo Avenue in barangay Lahug from the corner or Escario Street to JY Square Mall.

Despite reminders sent to DPWH 7 to help plan the event, it was only last Thursday when agency officials were able to meet Cebu city officials and say they were not ready.

Cebu City Councilor Nida Cabrera said she was surprised to find out that the agency was not prepared so the city chose to include bike advocates like Tindak Sugbo in today’s Earth Hour celebration.

Cabrera’s ordinance mandating bike lanes in Cebu city was passed on first reading in the City Council last week, a positive note for advocates of environment protetion and “livable” cities.

“It’s a minor setback,” said Ramos about the DPWH lukewarm response.

“But we’re happy with the bike lane ordinance. It’s a mechanism for the safety of bikers and pedestrians.”

“We are disappointed with what happened for the road sharing day, but we have to look at it in another way. SM’s installation of bike racks is a good thing. We hope other malls will be encouraged to put up their own,” Ramos said.

The road sharing movement is identified with Cebuano environment lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr., who first tried it in Cebu as a “road revolution” in June 2011.

For a whole Sunday, Osmeña Boulevard was closed to vehicles and taken over by pedestrians, bikers and skateboard users.

“I’d rather be invisible this time,” he told Cebu Daily News last night and leave the show to law students, young lawyers, ecology advocates, cyclists and ordinary citizens who want a better quality of life, especially in urban centers.

This weekend, Iloilo and three Metro Manila cities will join forces to show the meaning of “Mag-Bayanihan sa Daan”, (Share the Roads Fairly).

Participating cities in Metro Manila include San Juan under Mayor Guia Gomez, Pasig under Mayor Maribel Eusebio, and Marikina under Mayor Del de Guzman.

Marikina City, which pioneered the bike lanes in the country, will hold a fun ride to be joined by their Mayor Del de Guzman. The city now has 70 kilometers of bike lanes.

Pasig City will convert its C. Raymundo Ave. into a permanent bike lane from its Sunday’s only schedule.

A lone biker in downtown Mabini Street during a “Road Revolution” experiment in 2011.

BICYCLE FESTIVAL

“But the place to be on March 30 is Iloilo City,” said the movement’s press statement.

On Sunday, by executive order of Iloilo Mayor Jed Mabilog, March 30 will be declared the celebration of the first Iloilo Fiesta Bisikleta (Bicycle Festival).

Iloilo city is mobilizing more than 2,000 cyclists to go on a 25-kilometer heritage tour around the city, with half of the roads designated for motor vehicles and the other half walkways and bike ways.

At 4 p.m. Sunday, the activities start with a 25-km bike ride and 5-km walk and fun run.

The activities will culminate in a big party in an open field. Ron Sebastian and artist Rock Drilon of Iloilo City, are gathering cyclists and health enthusiasts to participate in the event.

“Iloilo is fortunate to have a game-changer: The Esplanade,” said Iloilo City Councilor Jason Gonzales, an urban planner.

“Because of the Esplanade, the eyes of the Ilonggos were opened to the health benefits of devoting open space for people. It also enlivened the sense of belonging, sparked the pride of place and the spirit of community – the bayanihan spirit – among the people of Iloilo and her visitors.”

The Esplanade is a walking path along the cleaned-up Iloilo River that has become a recreational and community center for Iloilo residents. It was designed by environmental architect and urban planner Paolo Alcazaren.

On Sunday, the first Philippine Walkable Cities Award will be announced.

This annual award will be launched in Iloilo, with the support of national government agencies and international organizations such as the Washington DC-based International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE), the Institute of Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD), the Asia-Pacific Center for Environmental Law (APCEL), Clean Air Asia, and other Filipino and international citizens’ groups.

Organizers said Iloilo Mayor Mabilog, and fellow councilors Gonzalez, Jay Trenas, Dayli Zulueta, and city traffic management office led by Joe Tengco, Department of Highways officials, and ordinary citizens, are the main movers of the movement in their city.