FACILITY FOR CYCLISTS. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista (2nd from left) and Marikina Mayor Marcelino ‘Marcy’ Teodoro (3rd from left) lead the launch of the end-of-trip cycling facility at the Marikina Central Parking Area on Thursday (Aug. 29, 2024). The facility seeks to encourage the public to embrace an active lifestyle and reduce carbon emissions. (Photo courtesy Marikina LGU)
MANILA – The city government of Marikina and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday opened an end-of-trip cycling facility to encourage the public to embrace an active lifestyle and reduce carbon emissions.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Assistant Secretary James Andres Melad, Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, and 1st District Rep. Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro led the launch and the unveiling of the marker of the new facility at the Marikina Central Parking Area.
“Ito ay bahagi ng transport modality system natin. Pwedeng gumamit sila ng bisekleta, active transport system, ibig sabihin walang carbon emission, walang carbon footprint, pedal ang ginagamit, hindi makina. Mainam hindi lang para sa kalusugan, kundi para rin sa kalikasan natin para mapangalagaan (This is part of our transport modality system. They can use bicycles, active transport system, which means no carbon emission, no carbon footprint, pedal is used, no machine. It is beneficial not only to health but also to our environment, which we need to protect),” Teodoro said in a statement.
Teodoro said the end-of-trip bicycle facility would benefit city government employees who use bicycles as their mode of transport to and from their workplaces.
“Pwede silang magpalit dito ng damit at sumakay na sa public transport natin. Narito ang transport terminal ng ating jeepney, may mga tricycle para sa pagpunta nila sa pinagtratrabahuhan nila. Narito rin ang palengke natin. Ito ang kahalagahan niya (They can change clothes here and ride the public transport. We have a jeepney terminal here, and also tricycles they can ride in going to their places of work. We also have our market here. This is what is important here),” he added
Bautista, meanwhile, said the end-of-trip cycling facility has 35 bicycle racks that could accommodate 70 bicycles and has fully equipped comfort rooms and a bicycle repair and maintenance station.
"Ito ay mag-se-serve para sa mga nagbibisekleta na employees ng City of Marikina at ‘yung mga mamamayan ng Marikina na may transaksyon sa City Hall. Hindi na kailangan magdala ng kotse, magbibisekleta na lang. Iiwanan nila ‘yung bisekleta dito sa end-of-trip facility (This serves cycling employees of Marikina City, as well as residents that have transactions at the City Hall. They don’t need to bring their cars, and just use their bicycles. They can leave their bicycles at the end-of-trip facility),” he said.
The Marikina city government and the DOTr also broke ground on an 8-km. bike lane that would connect to the city’s existing bike lanes.
According to Teodoro, Marikina already has designated bicycle lanes around the city, which was established in 1995.
“Matagal na silang mayroong bike lanes. Pero naisip namin na dagdagan pa ito, and sa tulong ni Mayor Marcy ay pinayagan niya kami na i-expand ‘yung bike lane dito sa Marikina at the same time magkaroon tayo ng tinatawag na end-of-trip facilities (They already have bike lanes for a long time. But we thought that we can add to it, and with the help of Mayor Marcy, we were given permission to expand the bike lanes and at the same time, establish end-of-trip facilities),” Bautista said.
Meanwhile, the DOTr is also looking to build bike racks, showers, restrooms, and lockers to augment bike lanes nationwide.
Bautista said the project is meant to augment the city’s existing bike lanes and was placed in a strategic location near the city hall, schools, and transport terminal.
“Ito ay magse-serve para sa mga nagbibisikleta na employees ng Marikina, mga residenteng may transaksyon sa city hall (This will serve cyclists who are employees of Marikina and residents who have transactions at city hall),” Bautista said.
The event inaugurated two end-of-trip facilities and broke ground for an additional 8 km. of bike lanes in Marikina City.
The DOTr, Bautista said, is looking to replicate the facility throughout the country.
During the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriation’s deliberations of the DOTr budget for 2025 on Wednesday, DOTr Undersecretary Andy Ortega said PHP2.59 billion funding is being sought by the agency for the creation of additional bike lanes, the upgrade and maintenance of existing bike lanes, as well as the creation of end-of-trip facilities.
For 2025, the DOTr is looking to establish 260 km. of dedicated lanes for cyclists to a total of 2,400 km. of bike lanes by the year 2028. (With a report from Raymond Carl dela Cruz/PNA)
