THE Mobility Awards intensified its bike advocacy by recognizing the best work places, business venues and bike-friendly cities in the countryside.
The organization has started accepting nominations and set a November 5 deadline. Nominations could be made at www.mobilityawards.ph.
The winners will be announced on November 25.
Climate Reality Philippines branch manager Nazrin Camille Castro said in an online news conference that the Mobility Awards is focusing on cities outside Greater Manila under the new normal.
“The Mobility Awards this year is going nationwide, encouraging cities to participate but excluding Metro Manila as it has already gone through the first round of evaluation,” Castro said. “We choose to focus on initiatives that are happening in cities.”
Castro added that 50 percent of Filipinos outside Metro Manila are relying on bikes as a means of transportation and to address the alarming economic and health crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Known for promoting healthy and clean environments through cycling as a mode of transportation, the Mobility Awards will be recognizing nine cities, nine workplaces and nine business establishments that are cyclist-friendly.
MNL Moves founder and the ICSC inclusive urban mobility advisor Aldrin Pelicano welcomed the massive increase of bikers around the National Capital Region—where 168 of their volunteers registered 38,932 riders in just a matter of four hours in four cities.
“The number of cyclists nationwide are [undercounted] and we enjoin everyone to make cyclists and pedestrians count’” Pelicano said. “But one thing is clear, cycling has become an essential mode of transportation for Filipinos during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The classifications for the awards are city local government units, workplaces and commercial establishments.
The winners will vie for Katipunan, gold, silver and bronze ratings, which will be determined by a panel of experts. The assessment will be based on the prevalence and quality of bike-friendly infrastructure, integration of inclusive mobility policies and progress of infrastructure initiatives and enforcement of bicycle-friendly policies.
According to the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey commissioned by the Department of Health (DOH) last year, 87 percent of Filipinos expect bicycles, pedestrians and public transportation to be prioritized over private vehicles.