R.O.X. (Recreational Outdoor eXchange) is the centre of bringing the community closer to the great outdoors and just last January 11, it held its first Heroes on Wheels bike-giving ceremony through, the advocacy arm of the Primer Group, CORE (Center for Outdoor Recreation and Expedition).
Awarded five bikes each were Cycle for Life and the Tuburan Institute. Both awardees were nominated by biking advocacy group, Firefly Brigade, and the local branch of R.O.X. and embody the philosophy of crating positive change through cycling.
“Heroes on Wheels started after the onset of Yolanda,” shared CORE’s Christine Villaflor “We recognised that the doctors to the barrios at that time had difficulty reaching their patients in the far flung areas without paved roads. The bikes enabled these doctors to reach their patients faster and saving lives in the process.”
The simple turn-over ceremony at the R.O.X. store at Abreeza Mall was witnessed by Firefly Brigade president Jack Yabut and members of the press.
When asked where the awarded bikes will go to, Cycle for Life’s Monica Ayala shared that the extra bikes will go to the group’s advocacy of promoting the bike as a clean and green way of commuting across Davao City. “The new bikes will go to our pool where we plan to hold exploratory bike rides for anyone who is willing to try cycling Davao.”
“We are also developing our tour-guiding skills to eventually come up with bike tours of Davao.” Monica added.
For the Tuburan Institute, the bikes will be used as transportation by the teachers who live around the school’s campus in Tugbok. A Steiner/Waldorf school, the Tuburan Institure encourages its students to learn life skills in a nature environment. The parents of the children as well as the teachers are also committed to the school’s mission and have done many events using bikes to promote as well as raise funds for the school.
Congratulations to R.O.X., CORE, Cycle for Life and Tuburan Institute for making Dabawenyos more conscious about the environment and the great ourdoors.
