‘Buhay ang bike lane’: Cyclists push back vs MMDA plans
MANILA – Dangerous and life-threatening—that’s how Rey Esteves, 45, described Commonwealth Avenue and EDSA, roads that he traverses every evening as he cycles to his office in Makati City.
Esteves is a call center agent who is on graveyard shift. He leaves his house in North Caloocan before 9:00 p.m. and pedals for around two hours – roughly the same amount of time it takes by bus. But cycling along these deadly roads is a risk he is willing to take if it means that he can save up on fares, reducing one more motorized vehicle on the road, and improving his health.
But the limited space and meager protection given to him and other cyclists are now under threat, as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) plans to either reduce the width of bike lanes or convert them to a shared lane with motorcycles, especially in traffic-heavy highways like EDSA and Commonwealth Avenue. This move comes after the resumption of the implementation of the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) this May, which highlighted the heavy traffic in lanes used by motorcycles and private vehicles.
“The lanes along Commonwealth are already wide, we can’t even use them properly. And now they want to remove them?” Esteves lamented in Filipino.
The call center agent was among around a hundred cyclists who joined the protest ride dubbed “Buhay ang Bike Lane: Commonwealth Loop”, led by CycleSavers, a community of cyclists, daily commuters, and advocates for safer streets, on Saturday, July 5.
The ride was a direct response to MMDA’s proposal to convert the existing protected bike lanes along Commonwealth Avenue into a shared lane for bicycles and motorcycles after it held a consultation with motorcycle groups on June 20.
‘Buhay ang bike lane’
For Jasper Abunyawan, one of the conveners of CycleSavers, the protest ride was meant to show authorities that bike lanes are alive – that protected bike lanes are actively used by cyclists every day and that they save lives.
“They shouldn’t deprive us of the small five-meter space that the bike lanes already have,” said Abunyawan in an interview.
He noted that Commonwealth Avenue has six to 18 lanes in both directions.
“If MMDA wants to allocate more lanes for motorcycles, they should reduce lanes for private cars,” Abunyawan said.
Some sections of the bike lanes along Commonwealth Avenue are protected by cement plant boxes installed by the Quezon City government. However, most of the stretch consists only of painted lanes, with some sections usually occupied by parked vehicles and sidewalk vendors.
Read: My experience as a folding biker and bimodal commuter in Metro Manila
The clamor for more protected bike lanes from bike commuters and active mobility advocates intensified after a cyclist was killed by an SUV while trying to avoid being “doored” by a van parked in the bike lane.
“Let’s not put our cyclists in danger, especially the workers who use our bike lanes every day,” said Abunyawan, addressing his call to the MMDA.
More people on bikes
While motorcycles rank first in the volume of motorized vehicles traversing Metro Manila roads, with a daily average of 1.8 million, followed by cars with a daily average of 1.5 million, cycling is steadily growing.
The 2024 Bicycle Count Report recorded more than 270,000 people on bicycles over 16 days in 18 cities and municipalities. Bicycle trips across 15 cities increased by seven percent in 2024 compared to 2023. In Metro Manila alone, the report counted a daily average of almost 86,000 cyclists.
stats bike count 2024 by Chantal Eco“The modest increase highlights that many Filipinos still rely on bicycles, underscoring the need for greater investment to ensure their safety. With sufficient support and infrastructure, active transportation can become a sustainable and viable option for Filipinos,” the report highlighted.
Safety issues for women
For Alyssa Belda, 25, a consultant for active transport projects, the lack of continuous, protected bike lanes is one of the biggest barriers for women who want to choose cycling as a daily mode of transport.
Belda commutes regularly by bike, but ongoing construction along major roads like Commonwealth Avenue often forces her to merge into high-speed motorcycle lanes, putting her at risk.
“For instance in Philcoa, there’s an ongoing construction, I’m forced to merge with the motorcycle lane, but in the motorcycle lane, they call me out to go inside the bike lane but it’s not even there,” she said.
She recalled a near-accident at Batasan Road, where a truck suddenly made a right turn from the inner lane. “I almost died,” she said.
Like many women, Belda learned to bike only as an adult, at 22 years old, after becoming increasingly frustrated with unreliable public transportation.
“Many women learned to bike as adults because they want a more independent mobility for themselves,” Belda said.
In a transport system that often leaves women feeling unsafe, she stressed that protected bike lanes are essential for encouraging more women to cycle.
Protect lives
As Metro Manila’s roads grow more congested, cyclists are asking not for more space, but simply to keep and protect the narrow strip already carved out for them. For many, especially workers who rely on bicycles to get to their jobs, protected bike lanes are a matter of survival.
Advocates stress that Commonwealth Avenue has ample room to accommodate all road users without sacrificing cyclist safety. “We’re not asking for much, just don’t take away the five meters that help us get home alive,” Abunyawan said. (AMU, RVO)
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