THE ATENEO de Manila University together with Bicycle Friendly Philippines celebrated World Car Free Day on September 22 to promote the advocacy “Bike to School, Bike to Work.” With support from the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability, Campus Security and Mobility Office and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), more than a hundred people, including students, faculty and staff from Ateneo Grade School, High School and the Loyola Schools rode from SM Marikina to the Ateneo campus.
Karen Crisostomo, co-founder of Bicycle Friendly Philippines and head of Car Free Day Philippines, said that the event is open to the community and aims to show people how the streets will look with less cars. Bicycle Friendly Philippines is a movement that works closely with the government units and agencies, and other private cycling groups, while at the same time, building policies for the rights of cyclists.
“You have to remember, we were a hundred cyclists which could actually mean a hundred less cars on the road,” she added.
Participants rode straight to Marcos Highway towards Katipunan Avenue, turning right at the SM Blue alley and entering the Ateneo campus through Gate 3. Bikers circled the Ateneo campus once before convening in the Covered Courts.
“One less car off the road”
According to Crisostomo, traffic congestion and air pollution is something Car Free Philippines wants to address. Traffic has been an ongoing problem along Katipunan Avenue.
“We are car-centric. We favor the car. But people don’t seem to realize how much time they waste on the road and how stressed they are,” said Crisostomo.
“Sobrang traffic, iyon ang talagang number one problem natin, na hanggang ngayon ang dami nang ginagawang measures pero hindi pa rin nabibigyan ng solusyon (Traffic really is our number one problem. Even with all the measures in place, we have not solved it).” said Mara Melanie Perez, head of promotions and marketing and a 5th Grade teacher from the Ateneo Grade School.
Crisotomo said she hopes to have more activities in support of cycling and traffic alleviation. “This is just the start of many more activities,” she said.
