USWAG BIKE SHARING INITIATIVE PROVIDES FREE RIDE TO FRONTLINERS
Bike sharing was a sustainable way of easing the hassle for front-liners during the pandemic. Transportation was limited and all other mobility services suffered setbacks during the pandemic lockdowns and strict community quarantines.
Iloilo City Government provided bicycles free of use for frontliners. All frontliners are welcome to borrow bikes from the organizations to use as their temporary mode of transportation.
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| USWAG Bike Sharing Initiative: Free bikes to borrow in Iloilo City. |
The initiative is a kind help to these modern heroes, as some of them live too far from work or have erratic schedules. Other frontliners would have to traverse dangerous roads or brave adverse weather conditions while commuting during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The Iloilo Bicycle Council, The Iloilo Biking Community, Office of Councilor Jay Treñas and Mayor Jerry Treñas started the USWAG Bike Sharing Initiative to provide alternative mode of transportation for frontliners.
From April 10 to June 30, 2020, a total of 25 bikes were shared through this initiative. The bicycles were delivered to frontliners in their respective workplaces.
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| USWAG Bike Sharing Initiative |
INTERCONNECTED BIKE LANES
Aside from bike-sharing initiative, Mayor Treñas wanted to connect bike lanes all over the metropolis for easier and safer mobility of these health frontliners and those biking to work and back home.
Treñas met with the group of bike advocate Rock Drilon, City Engineer’s Office (CEO) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 6 to address the demand for road-sharing.
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| USWAG Bike Sharing Initiative = Bike Capital of Philippines |
“We push to finalize plans to connect all bike lanes all over the city. We prepare cost estimate so we will look for funds to finance the implementation. CEO and DPWH will work together,” Treñas said.
“Kudos to Mayor Jerry who is currently working closely with bike advocates, City Engineering and DPWH to add another 20kms of bike lanes to connect with existing bike lanes, including portions of the Esplanade, which is being targeted for completion by mid-July, for the safety of Ilonggos on bicycles, seen to have increased phenomenally and using them as transport during pandemic,” Drilon said.
“Phase 1 of plan is to increase Iloilo City’s bike lanes from 23 to 42 kilometers immediately for more connectivity to keep Ilonggos safe as more citizens opt to bike in the new normal,” he added.