Share the Road

Being stuck in traffic has been a normal part of the daily routine of commuters in Metro Manila. With a population of almost 12 million, Manila is notorious for its traffic congestion.

The problem is there are just too many vehicles in the Philippine capital, where roads are no longer sufficient to accommodate them, according to an official with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Transportation on the roads, specifically buses and jeepneys, are mostly responsible for the clogs along the streets which always result to traffic jams along highways and main roads. Different solutions have been used, proposed and devised to unclog the roads of Metro Manila but still until now, the volume of vehicles just grow everyday.

This is the reason why last February 2015, a nationwide group of bikers launched a campaign called “Bayanihan sa Daan” and began gathering 10 million signatures in an attempt to push the government into promoting bicycle lanes. “We want a change in the state of roads here in the Philippines,” said the NBO’s Romar Crisostomo. “Right now, our roads are optimized for the use of and are being hogged by motor vehicles when, as we have found out, only a small part of the population owns cars.” [1]

A number of Filipinos have been fighting for the use of bikes as an alternative means of transportation. The Bicyclist Act of 2014 proposes the establishment of Local Bikeway Offices in all cities and municipalities in the Philippines. Environmental activist Antonio Oposa, Jr. adds that one lesson to take away from this is that nothing is impossible unless you try. “Oftentimes our efforts take a very, very long time to bear fruit. But sometimes, there are a few things that surprise us sooner than we ever dreamed of.” [2]

A road-sharing scheme is one way to encourage commuters to opt for bicycles as their alternative transportation. In fact some places in Metro Manila have ordinances and programs in support of bicycling like Marikina, Pasig City, Quezon City, and even Davao City in southern Philippines. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority also opened a bike lane on some major roads in Roxas Boulevard, Malate and Ortigas.

Aside from helping decongest the traffic in Metro, biking is eco-friendly, cheap and efficient alternative mode of transportation. The government should continue supporting this advocacy by providing safe and unobstructed lanes for cyclists. The people should change their mentality that roads are for motor vehicles only. It’s now time to share the road.

1] http://opinion.inquirer.net/89944/at-their-own-pace

[2]http://blog.hawaii.edu/elp/news-events/uncategorized/road-sharing-movement-update/