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Philippine coronavirus lockdown boosts calls for a bike-friendly Manila
- The focus on cycling gained ground when public transport stopped during the coronavirus lockdown, leaving many health care workers stranded
- Transport advocates are now pushing for the installation of proper bicycle lanes and infrastructure in Metro Manila and beyond
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When Metro Manila went into lockdown in mid-March, Rhea Muyargas, a medical technologist at one of the largest private hospitals in the Philippine capital, had to start walking to work.
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Public transport was halted and hundreds of frontline health care workers like Muyargas had no other option but to walk for hours in many cases, as few employers provided shuttle buses.
But as the coronavirus pandemic has shown, the worst of times can sometimes bring out the best in people.
When the plight of these health care workers became known, a group called Life Cycles PH quickly mobilised bike owners willing to lend their two-wheelers to those who needed them. By the end of March, Muyargas and about 100 more frontline workers were cycling to work.
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Similar efforts are in place in other parts of the country, putting a spotlight on biking as a viable and sustainable transport option during the pandemic – and beyond.
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