Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte urged Dabawenyos to use bicycles not only for sports and recreation but also as an alternative mode of transportation.
Baste said this after Davao City was recently awarded Silver as Most Bicycle-Friendly City by the 2021 Mobility Awards organizers.
In his message, Baste said it is the goal of the city government of Davao to provide infrastructure to accommodate the needs of the cyclists and for the safety of everyone using the roads.
The government has completed in July 2021 the 54.74- kilometer Metro Davao Bike Lane Network project, which spans the city’s 14 road sections including Quimpo Boulevard, Sandawa Road, Roxas Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Quirino Avenue, E. Jacinto Extension, Dr. A. Gahol Street, Mabini Street, F. Torres Street, Loyola Street, Porras Street, Inigo Street, and Decasio Street.
The bike lane network features white and green pavement markings, signage, bollards, bike symbols, and concrete delineators to ensure the bikers’ safety while on the road.
Meanwhile, Ecoteneo, which is an advocacy group for environmental protection and conservation of Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU), has applauded the city government of Davao for setting up the bike lanes and is expecting the city will do more network-wise.
“The bike lanes are not enough yet because there are parts (planning) na hindi pa natin nakikita. Some of the observations or comments ay yung drainage na vertical delikado kasi yun sa mga maninipis na gulong at may mga kasamahan tayo na na aksidente na,” said Carmela Marie Santos, director of Ecoteneo in an interview
The 2021 Mobility Awards organizers are composed of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), MNL Moves, Climate Reality Project Philippines, 350 .Org Philippines, and Pinay Bike Commuter for Mobility Awards, in a virtual ceremony in November last year on the occasion of the National Bicycle Month.
A total of seven cities from Mindanao competed for the title of Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities all over the Philippines. Aside from Davao City, the other awardee is Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental which received a Bronze Rank.
