Cyclists in the city have something to look forward to this entire month of June following the approval of the first-ever “Baguio Bike Festival,” otherwise called “Sang-atan.”
Composed of cyclists and bike enthusiasts in the city, the proponents of the said event sought the city council’s permission during the regular session last June 5. The city council gave the go-ahead by passing a resolution allowing the conduct of the said event.
The activities for this month-long event are the following:
June 11 – Bike Tour for the Sunday Bike Ride within the Central Business District (CBD);
June 18 – Ride with the Regional Alternative Child Care (RACC) for the Sunday Bike Ride in strategic within the CBD;
June 25 – Bike Count in strategic areas on June 22; MTB Bike Race along Kennon Road;
June 30 – Bike Exposition and Bike Tiangge along Juan Luna Drive and Bikepacking Camp at the Pine Trees of the World; and
July 2 – Kiddie Trike and Balance Bike Races, Concert at the Park, and Bicycle 101 at Burnham Park, DCM Tour of Sounds and Lights within the CBD, and the culminating activity called the Hari ang Ahon Criterium Race along parts of Harrison Road, Jose Abad Santos Drive, Lake Drive I, and Perfecto Drive.
The launching of the Baguio Bike Festival took place last June 3 at Burnham Park and was attended by almost six hundred individuals from different parts of the country.
Atty. Marissa Dacayana, the cyclists’ convenor for the event, said the festival intends to remind people in the city about the joys of biking which they experienced mostly during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic where it gained popularity as a sport, hobby, means of transportation, physical fitness exercise, and sustainable way of life.
With its variety of activities, the event is expected to engage the community to create an environment where biking is celebrated in all its forms and attract both local and national cycling communities, resulting in increased tourism and economic activities in the city.
Dacayana stressed that the Bike Exposition and Bike Tiangge to be held along Juan Luna Drive on June 30 are not “trade fairs” similar to the ones conducted in various venues within the CBD.
With this assurance, the city council passed a separate resolution giving Magalong the authority to to close certain roads including Juan Luna Drive for the conduct of the afore-mentioned activities.
As a co-sponsor, the city government will provide assistance and support to ensure the successful staging of this event. Prior to the council’s approval, Mayor Benjamin Magalong had already expressed his support for this undertaking.
Proposed bike lane ordinance still under review
As cycling continues to maintain popularity even during the post-pandemic period, the cyclists in the city still await the approval of the proposed ordinance which is still being reviewed and fine-tuned by the city council’s Committee on Public Works.
The proposed ordinance was crafted at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It seeks to establish a network of bicycle lanes and walking paths in the city in support of micromobility as an alternative to traditional transportation. Public consultations have been conducted to solicit comments and suggestions of bikers in the city, the general public, and the concerned government offices.
The recent version of the proposed ordinance calls for the review of the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) and its modification if necessary to include the promotion of different forms of micromobility as a way of life in the city.
Under the proposed ordinance, the rightmost side of specific roads shall be designated as bicycle lanes. Five priority routes were identified for the installation of bike lanes. These were 1) from Pacdal Circle to Leonard Wood Road to Upper Session Road Rotunda 2) from Loakan Road-PEZA to South Drive Rotonda to North Drive leading to Upper Session Road 3) from Bonifacio Street Rotunda to Magsaysay Avenue leading to Malcolm Square 4) From Elpidio Quirino Highway (Naguilian Road) Station 9 leading to Baguio City Hall and 5) from Dontogan/Green Valley Intersection (Ben Palispis Highway) to BGH Rotonda.
The proposed ordinance shall also mandate the provision of first aid stations at regular intervals along bike lanes and the conduct of seminars on road safety, road etiquette, and proper use of safety equipment for bikers.
Speed limits shall be imposed both for vehicles and bicycles under the ordinance.
Likewise, it shall prohibit minors from using bike lanes unless supervised and accompanied by adults. **Jordan G. Habbiling
