Why do Filipino cyclists persist in biking in an environment that is hardly biker-friendly? Here are the reasons—and why you should support these road warriors.

When Lance Armstrong was recently asked how the US-Iraq war would affect his racing plans, the quadruple Tour de France winner stated he would race even if direct threats were made against him. “In cycling you ride in the open—there is no fencing or protection nets,” the Texan told The Guardian. “But I will be there just the same; it won’t be the war that stops me.”

Not many Filipino cyclists—blue-collar workers, parents, professionals, men and women of all shapes and sizes—are as skilled or as prominent as Armstrong is. Still, they have two things in common with the world-class cyclist. One, they love biking. And two, they continue to ride despite its risks.

In effect, Filipino road warriors wage a daily battle every time they get on their bicycles. They expose themselves to polluted air and reckless drivers and endure the lack of biker-friendly facilities. And they do so to affirm that cycling can be an efficient, environmentally sensible, and healthy means of transport. In short, they bike to fight for clean air and a more peaceful and biker- and people-friendly city.

The Risks of City Riding…
Every cyclist has horror stories to tell. These stories have recurring themes: reckless drivers, biking in poorly lit roads lacking shade, and navigating Metro Manila’s car-dominated streets while inhaling its exhaust-laden air.

As they make their way around the city, Filipino cyclists breathe in a deadly cocktail. Carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM) are just few of the pollutants produced by the 3.9 million registered cars, utility vehicles, motorcycles, and tricycles which are the major sources of air pollution in the country.

Here, in a nutshell, are the ways these pollutants endanger health:

• CO disrupts the supply of needed oxygen into the blood, causing a major health threat. With prolonged exposure, it affects the nervous system and causes chronic respiratory diseases.
• O3 can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, chest discomfort, cough, and headache. It also results in pulmonary impairment in children and young adults and increased incidences of asthmatic attacks and respiratory symptoms.
• PM—a mixture of dirt, dust, smoke, and liquid droplets—penetrates deep into the lungs and poses a major health threat.

To make matters worse, many drivers treat cyclists as nuisances undeserving of road space and courtesy. Government planners give right of way to private cars and utility vehicles and neglect cyclists. And many citizens view the bicycle as a poor man’s vehicle.

…and Its Rewards
Why then do Filipino cyclists go on biking, despite its risks? They persevere because of these main reasons.

Biking is cost-effective. Many bikers choose to ride to and from work because bicycles are cheap and need little maintenance. Unlike car owners, cyclists need not worry about periodic tune-ups, oil price increases, or expensive parking space.

Biking can be good for you. Because they are fueled by human power, bicycles produce many health benefits. Cycling can control weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. It helps improve agility, balance, and reaction time.

Biking is a good way to meet friends. Whether riding with a club or biking alone and waiving to riders you meet, biking creates opportunities to socialize.

Biking is environmentally sensible. Since bicycles do not burn fossil fuels, they are nonpolluting and do not contribute to global warming.

Biking is developmentally sustainable. Motor vehicles cost too much in terms of social and economic costs. According to the Institute of Transportation and Development Policies, many Third World countries like the Philippines spend as much as 40% of its foreign exchange reserves on the importation of oil and motor vehicles, which primarily serve the consumption needs of the wealthiest 10% of the population.

Biking, on the other hand, is affordable even for minimum wage earners. And, compared to cars, bikes require little space. As a result, they do not require sprawling highways and parking lots which turn farms and forests into concrete jungles and damages biodiversity.


What Can You Do To Create a More Biker- and People-Friendly Environment

Citizen and bicycle groups have long promoted the health and environmental advantages of bicycling. And the World Bank has acknowledged these benefits in its support of bicycle projects around the world.

In Metro Manila, the City of Marikina, assisted by citizens' group like the Firefly Brigade is implementing a US$1.3 million project to construct 66 kilometers of bicycle lanes. The project’s funding is partly provided by the Global Environmental Facility through the World Bank. In Lima, Peru and Leon, Nicaragua—the two cities where the World Bank has supported non-motorized transport (NMT) investments—the modal share of NMT is reported to have increased.

Still, more needs to be done to promote pedal power and clean Metro Manila’s air. Here are some ways you can make a difference:

Ask your local officials to designate car-free zones and days. Petition them to declare main roads, plazas, or playgrounds car-free on certain days. This would enable families to bike and stroll together without fear that reckless drivers would hit them. One only needs to see happy families, bikers, joggers, and senior citizens enjoying each other company at UP Diliman's tree-lined Academic Oval on a car-free Sunday to realize the benefits of car-free zones and days.

Use your car less. Walk, bike, or take public transportation. Carpool to work. Organize your errands to avoid unnecessary trips.

Report smoke-belching vehicles. Seventy-five percent of Metro Manila’s air pollution comes from motorized vehicles. You can report smoke-belching vehicles to Bantay Usok by texting “Usok (space) plate number (space) location sighted (space) vehicle description” to 2366 or by logging online (http://www.abs-cbnfoundation.com/kalikasan/cleanair.htm). If a vehicle is reported at least five times, the LTO will require the owner to bring in his vehicle for emission testing.

Think green. Plant trees, shrubs, and grass in your area. Experts estimate that it takes one tree to absorb the carbon monoxide produced by one car. During photosynthesis, trees produce oxygen, which we all need to breathe. They absorb carbon dioxide, act as natural barriers to dust, wind, and sunrays, and beautify the landscape. While you're gardening, compost your yard and other biodegradable waste instead of burning them.

Pedal your way around the city. A third of the trips taken in the metropolis are shorter that two kilometers, according to the Philippine Environment Monitor 2002. These short trips, which contribute significantly to both traffic congestion and pollution, are ideal for bicycle travel.

Form “bikepools.” If you are a beginning biker, why not seek the company of fellow riders and ride together? There is safety—and opportunities for camaraderie—in numbers.

Request and build biker-friendly facilities. Get together with fellow cyclists at your office or school to petition management to install facilities such as bike racks, showers, and clothes lockers. If you’re in a position to do so, allocate funds for such facilities.

Share the road with bikers. Treat the bicycle as a vehicle deserving of road space and courtesy. Drive considerately.

Join the “Tour of the Fireflies: Peace and Pedals.” The Tour has successfully moved citizens from public awareness to participation. The number of riders has tripled from 500 riders in 1999 to 1,500 riders in 2002. And more riders are expected to join this year’s Tour, which will take place on April 27, 2003, Sunday.

Ride in the “Tour of the Fireflies: Peace and Pedals” on April 27! Fight for clean air and win a roundtrip plane ticket to Bangkok!

When was the last time you saw fireflies? They have fled the city because of air pollution.

Sadly, all of us city dwellers—cyclists, runners, pedestrians, commuters, even those of us who ride cars—may suffer the same fate. A University of the Philippines 2001 study found that if Metro Manila’s worsening air pollution does not improve, the city would be uninhabitable by 2011.

Unless we who live, work, and raise families in the city fight for clean air and bring the fireflies back, we are also in danger of disappearing like them. This is why the Firefly Brigade organizes the annual “Tour of the Fireflies.”

The Firefly Brigade is a volunteer group which has been working for clean air and more livable cities since 1999. The Tour is a leisurely 50-km bicycle ride around seven cities to promote cycling as an efficient, environmentally friendly, and healthy means of transport.

You can do your share for clean air by joining this year’s tour on April 27, which promises to be another fun-filled event. Participants are encouraged to wear nature- or clean air-inspired costumes. The first prize for “best in costume” is a roundtrip ticket to Bangkok courtesy of Lufthansa Air and Lufthansa Technik Philippines. Cash prizes await the runners-up.