USWAG Bike Sharing Initiative provides free transportation for frontliners


Commuting during the pandemic lockdowns and strict community quarantines was difficult for our frontliners. When transportation was limited and all other mobility services suffered setbacks, the Iloilo City Government did its best not only to encourage the use of bicycles but also to provide its free use for our frontliners.

The USWAG Bike Sharing Initiative brought by the Iloilo Bicycle Council, The Iloilo Biking Community, Office of Councilor Jay Trenas, and Mayor Jerry Trenas provided an alternative mode of transportation for the frontliners.


In this initiative, all frontliners are welcome to borrow bikes from the organizations to use as their temporary mode of transportation.

The initiative was created to help our modern-day heroes as some of them live too far from their workplace or have erratic schedules. Others have to traverse dangerous roads and adverse weather conditions while commuting during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ)

From April 10 to June 30, 2020, a total of 25 bikes were shared through this initiative. The bicycles were delivered to the frontliners in their respective workplaces.

INTERCONNECTED BIKE LANES


Aside from the bike-sharing initiative, Mayor Trenas also wanted to connect bike lanes all over the metropolis to promote easier and safer mobility for the frontliners and for those biking to work and back home.

Treñas met bike advocate Rock Drilon, the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 6 to address the demand for road-sharing.

“We push to finalize plans to connect all bike lanes all over the city. We prepare a 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 as some of them are using it as transport during the pandemic,” Drilon said.

“Phase 1 of the 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.
Zach Golez

A lifestyle blogger based in Iloilo City

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