Promoting cycling can ease the current problem of mobility and transportation restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua.
He added that reduced vehicle capacities have also led to a land transport shortage, leading to a spike in passenger road transport inflation, from 2.6 percent in 2019 to 9.6 percent in 2020.
THE National Economic and Development Authority is pushing for cycling and bike lanes to augment the transport system after being badly affected by the ongoing pandemic.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the community quarantines and physical distancing regulations that help protect lives inadvertently reduced transport supply and resulted in public transport shortages.
Promoting sustainable and inclusive mobility is in line with the National Transport Policy that encourages local government units and national agencies to give priority to development of proper sidewalks and networks of bicycle lanes.
“We are also inviting the private sector to contribute to this alternative transport movement by providing end-of-trip facilities such as bike parking spaces and showers areas for employees who bike or walk to work,” Chua said.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Chua said the land transport sector contracted 30.7 percent in 2020, more than three times worse than overall GDP.
Chua said that because of its large economic linkages, a sharp contraction in transportation can significantly bring down the rest of the economy.
He added that reduced vehicle capacities have also led to a land transport shortage, leading to a spike in passenger road transport inflation, from 2.6 percent in 2019 to 9.6 percent in 2020.
“As we learn to live with the virus, improving access to mobility in the country is crucial in jump-starting the economy,” he said.
Chua added that in the Greater Manila area, only 12.5 percent of households own private cars.
“Meanwhile, the rest cannot go to work because of limited public transportation. Promoting cycling and other modes of active transportation will provide safe, healthy, and affordable means of participating in the economy,” he stressed.
Customs data showed that bicycle imports increased from 1 million units or by 112 percent from 2019 to 2020. This shows that more and more people are choosing cycling as their new mode of transportation.
Moreover, based on the 2020 data of Social Weather Stations and Department of Health (DOH), 87 percent of Filipinos agree that roads in cities will be better if public transportation, bikes, and pedestrians are prioritized.
“NEDA supports the initiatives of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Interior and Local Government to work together to build protected bike lanes around the National Capital Region,” Chua said.
“We are one with the various national agencies and local government units in their concerted efforts to increase mobility of people as we carefully reopen the economy. The current bike lane design provides significant protection to the growing number of cyclists, including myself,” Chua said.
Aside from these, companies can also explore providing incentives and subsidies for cycling, similar to car plans or shuttle services to employees.(RdlC)