DILG, DOTr to recognize LGUs with bike-friendly roads 

November 4 is National Bike Day, and to celebrate that occasion, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) together with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and two other government agencies will be holding the Bike Lane Awards. More formally, it is known as the “National Bike Day” Bike Awards 2021: LGUs Active Mobility Initiatives and Practices in the Establishment of Bike Lanes, and it will be held on November 28, 2021. 

A good number of people currently depend on their bikes for transport

Why? Well, the DILG says that holding the Bike Lane Awards is a way of promoting the best practices in supporting active transport. This is especially crucial now during the pandemic, as mobility is limited for a good chunk of the Filipino population. 

As the name implies, the DILG will be awarding local government units (LGUs) based on how well they implemented the said bike lanes, their policies behind their bike lanes, quality of network and infrastructure design, how much area these their bike lanes cover, their continuous monitoring of the said infrastructure, among others. 

Apart from the LGUs that already have established lanes, DILG Secretary Ano is also urging those with ongoing bike lane construction to take part. He also said that LGUs who want to participate are required to submit the proper documents. The said documents should contain the background profile of the bike lane network, policy initiatives, etc. 

The DILG will then select qualified LGU who have met the said requirements. Those qualified will then move on for the Bike Lane Award’s national validation phase. This in turn will then be done weeks before November 28.  

The Bike Lane Award will also consider appendant structures like barriers and lane markers

For those unaware, the DILG issued the MC No. 2020-100 last year. This memorandum circular urges LGUs to promote alternative means of transport in their respective areas in order to meet the continuous needs of the masses. This includes the establishment of bike lanes.  

In the past months, it has been observed that the number of Filipino cyclists has grown amid the pandemic. This course was caused by the temporary shutdown of a number of public transport systems like the MRT and the LRT, jeepneys, etc.  

And of course, many have started to consider riding a bike is healthier and much more economical than riding a motor vehicle, and more convenient than walking.  

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