Amid the pandemic, Filipino commuters have turned to riding bicycles, e-bikes, and motorcycles to get around. It’s an affordable and safe mode of transport as you can remain socially distant from people. As more two- and three-wheelers populate the roads, the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) reminds riders to stay on the outermost lane for their safety.
This is in accordance to the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2020-036, which prohibits tricycles, pedicabs, and motorized pedicabs from operating on national highways. This memo was in response to the increasing number of viral videos online where cars get into accidents in attempts of avoiding slow-moving tricycles in inner lanes of highways.
Users online have expressed their concerns about this reminder, calling for HPG to prevent people from parking vehicles along the prescribed lanes as well. Their other concerns include PUVs swerving into the lanes to pick up or drop off passengers.
Making the metro more bike-friendly
In March 2021, the Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said bike lane improvements in the metro are underway. These bodies promised installation of bollards, lighting on bicycle paths, and painting of lanes to ensure the safety of cyclists.
The Quezon City government has recently inaugurated its improved bike lanes along Elliptical Road, Quezon Avenue, Agham Road, and BIR Road.