ON Tuesday, June 3, World Bicycle Day, sustainable mobility advocates in Metro Manila woke up to learn that most of the bike lane barriers on EDSA had been removed during the past 24–48 hours despite instructions from the President that the EDSA Rebuild had been suspended.
ON Tuesday, June 3, World Bicycle Day, sustainable mobility advocates in Metro Manila woke up to learn that most of the bike lane barriers on EDSA had been removed during the past 24–48 hours despite instructions from the President that the EDSA Rebuild had been suspended.
In response to the removal of the bike lane barriers, the Move As One Coalition issued the following statement: 'On World Bicycle Day, June 3, we condemn the underhanded and criminally negligent actions of the agencies responsible for the removal, without any public consultation or announcement, of bike lane barriers on EDSA, leaving vulnerable road users unprotected and at high risk of collisions with faster-moving motor vehicles. 'Common sense and basic respect for the many Filipinos not privileged to be in a motor vehicle would dictate that prior public warning, plus mitigating safety measures, would be put in place beforehand. At a time when we should be prioritizing road safety and encouraging sustainable, active transportation options, the hasty decision to remove bike lane barriers is a step backward. 'This unilateral decision by the government undermines the progress that has been made in creating safer, more inclusive streets for everyone. The hasty and wanton removal of bike lane barriers on EDSA speaks volumes about how our road authorities view the lives and safety of those who are not in private motor vehicles.' I found out later that day that the agency responsible for removal of the bike lane barriers was the Department of Public Works and Highways . When an official of the DPWH was asked by the media about restoring the barriers, the answer was that the bike lane barriers which had already been removed would not be restored because the EDSA Rebuild had been placed 'on hold.' This response of the DPWH indicates that its staff see only Filipinos in motor vehicles as their clients ; are unaware about the purpose of the bike lane barriers; and are ignorant of the DPWH's fundamental responsibility to provide safe pathways for vulnerable road users. This is a failure of DPWH management. The loud and clear message from the DPWH is that the lives of ordinary Filipinos don't really matter. It doesn't matter to them if a few more are killed on EDSA. Anyway, for the DPWH, road injuries and crashes are quite 'normal,' what they eat for breakfast, and nothing to be worried about. . They might argue that the DPWH's primary task is to build and maintain roads — even if century-old shade trees are lost due to road widening; even if the road designs are dangerous for all; even if the roads kill and maim. Their paramount objective is to facilitate the movement of motor vehicles even if the risks to pedestrians and cyclists are magnified. To ease their conscience, they might tell themselves, 'It is not the DPWH's fault. It is the fault of the road user. It is the fault of the cyclist who went out on EDSA after the barriers were removed.' For the DPWH, it seems that those injured or killed in road crashes are simply acceptable collateral damage in the interest of faster travel for motor vehicles. This impunity, this negligence, has to end. The liability and accountability of the DPWH for road crash injuries and deaths should be recognized. What is remarkable is that the DPWH does not seem to be aware of national policy directives that have prioritized public transport, pedestrians and cyclists over motor vehicles since 2017. Under the National Transport Policy's Implementing Rules and Regulations' Section 12.9: 'Inclusive mobility and accessibility shall be achieved through the prioritization of people-mobility over vehicle-mobility ... In addition, provision for nonmotorized and active transport, such as walking and cycling, shall be incorporated in the design and implementation of transport projects.' In addition, the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which guides the work of the current administration, declares that 'pedestrians and cyclists enjoy highest priority in the hierarchy of road users.' How is this directive reflected in what the DPWH does? It is apparent that the DPWH does not consider pedestrians or cyclists a priority or even worthy of any protection. If it did, the DPWH would have conducted a prior information campaign regarding the impending changes to the bike lanes; if it did, the DPWH would have introduced measures to ensure the safety of persons on bicycles during the period without the bike lane barriers. Instead, the DPWH kept silent and, 'like a thief in the night,' quietly removed the protective barriers without alerting users of the bike lanes, leaving them exposed and vulnerable to road crashes. Does this qualify as responsible behavior of a public official? Rather, this constitutes criminal negligence. Today, the DPWH is the government department with the biggest budget; it is also the government department with specific infrastructure projects linked to the constituencies of legislators. But all this money, power and influence should not permit the DPWH to be above the law, to ignore national policy, or to be negligent of its obligation to protect all road users. If we want a more livable and sustainable Philippines where all Filipinos are mobile and safe, the DPWH requires fundamental transformation and reform. The DPWH needs to recognize all Filipinos as clients, and to prioritize the majority who are not in four-wheeled motor vehicles, with particular attention to the most vulnerable. This is the DPWH that we need today and in the future. Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner and public transport advocate. He is a co-convenor of the Move As One Coalition. He can be reached at mobilitymatters.ph@yahoo.com or followed on X @RobertRsiy.
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