QUEZON City (QC) clinched the bronze medal in the National Bike Lane Awards conducted by the Department of Transportation and Department of the Interior and Local Government to recognize the local government units’ best practices and innovations in establishing bike lanes.
The QC Bike Lane Network is maintained by the Green Transport Office under the Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS).
The city prides itself with a 93-kilometer bike lane network, traversing major and secondary roads in the city.
Soon, the city will complete its 161-kilometer bike route, providing longer and safer bike lanes for active transport users in the metro.
“We really put our effort into making our bike lanes safe and convenient for all cyclists and alternative transport users in our city,” DPOS head Gen. Elmo San Diego (Ret.) said.
Iloilo City emerged as back-to-back gold medalist with Pasig City bagging the silver medal. The other aspirants were the cities of Taguig, Mandaue, Mandaluyong, Cebu, Davao, Tabuk, San Fernando (La Union), Cagayan de Oro, Sta. Rosa (Laguna) and Naga (Camarines Sur).
“We are moving closer to our vision of making a more sustainable metropolis for all,” Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said. “Thank you for recognizing the beauty of the City of Love.”
Besides the extension of bike routes, the city has also implemented various ordinances on safe cycling and active transport, “no bike helmet” policy and the voluntary bike registration program to help owners with missing bikes.
Mayor Joy Belmonte accepted the award on behalf of the city.
“In QC, we would like to be considered as a bike-friendly and eco-friendly city, that is why we want to make sure that from infrastructure to the policies, we do it all,” Belmonte said. “And we have to really make our bike lanes safe for everyone.”