THERE are times when the best solutions are the simplest ones. Who knew that a machine invented almost two centuries ago would be instrumental in addressing society’s most pressing problems?
Today is World Bicycle Day, a United Nations-recognized event where we celebrate the bicycle and its contributions to improving human life — especially at a time when we are plagued with problems concerning health, transportation, social inequality and environmental destruction.
In creating cities that are sustainable, resilient and future-ready, we need transportation that is also sustainable, resilient and future-ready. We must not forget the place of bicycles in our streets.
A short history lesson on the bicycle
The bicycle underwent many iterations before its widespread adoption. Karl Drais invented the Laufmaschine in 1817, which was the first two-wheeled, human-powered vehicle. Eventually, the velocipede of the 1860s added pedals to the front wheel, allowing for continuous propulsion.
The modern bicycle as we know it today came into fruition with the Rover Safety Bicycle in 1885 by John Kemp Starley. Compared to the penny-farthing with its ridiculously large front wheels, this bicycle featured two equally sized wheels with a crank and a chain. It was safer because the rider sat much closer to the ground, making it easier to balance. This innovation resulted in the widespread adoption of the bicycle.
Mobility for the masses
It didn’t take long for people to realize the benefits of cycling. The bicycle essentially democratized mobility. It was more affordable than a horse or a carriage, which only the nobles and elite could afford, and it was more reliable than a train, which operated on a fixed schedule and route.
Women in particular were empowered with a new sense of freedom. No longer dependent on a chaperone, they were free to go beyond the confines of the house, meet with one another, and further participate in society. The bicycle had become the vehicle that propelled the women’s suffrage movement in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The roads of America were not paved for cars at first, but rather for bicycles, when the League of American Wheelmen lobbied for the gravel and dirt roads to be paved. Bicycles were central to the everyday transportation of workers that even Henry Ford himself biked to work.
The resilience of cycling
The bicycle is among the most resilient modes of transport, for it has proven its value to human society in times of crisis. The energy crisis of the 1970s shook America to its core and made the Western world rethink its dependence on fossil fuels. Despite the turmoil, the bicycle remained a practical, low-cost mode of personal transport.
In more recent times, the Covid-19 lockdown forced us to rethink transportation. With public transit shut down, Filipino employees and health care workers had no choice but to dust off whatever bikes they had and ride them on EDSA, C-5, and wherever they needed to pass, just to get to work. Even after the pandemic, many Filipinos have turned to cycling as a solution to traffic congestion, scarce parking and rising fuel costs.
Challenges to adopting cycling
For all the benefits that cycling gives us — reduced traffic congestion, clean air and healthier bodies — there is very little support for it here in the Philippines. Bike lanes were established during the pandemic. But instead of expanding the network, many of them have been neglected or even removed. And the lack of coordination and alignment among agencies hinders progress.
I was a consultant for the National Economic and Development Authority’s Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. It states, “Pedestrians and cyclists will be accorded highest priority in the hierarchy of road users.”
Simply put: Those who have less in wheels must have more in roads. We at Palafox follow a rule of thirds when allocating road space: one-third for pedestrians and cyclists, one-third for landscaping and greenery, and one-third for vehicles. Vulnerable road users need dedicated space in order to feel safe.
We partnered with the Department of Transportation as consultants for the Active Transport Strategic Masterplan. This roadmap will empower LGUs so that active transport can be promoted nationwide, in line with national development frameworks and sustainable development goals.
Sustainable cities are bikeable cities
By 2050, more than a hundred million Filipinos will be living in cities. Urbanization is inevitable, which is why we must pay close attention to how cities are being built and shaped. Metro Manila is a prime example of what happens when you create a metropolis around cars — no one moves.
According to TomTom, people in Metro Manila waste 143 hours per year being stuck in traffic, and this costs us P3.5 billion a day, based on the study of JICA. We cannot solve traffic congestion overnight.
However, active transport has proven to be a low-cost and efficient mobility solution for highly urbanized areas, which is why we should make every effort to encourage it. One additional biker on the road could mean one less car, or one additional seat in public transportation.
If the Philippines is to become a First World country, First World economy by 2050, we will need at least 100 more cities that are smart, sustainable and resilient. When we build these metropolises, how do we envision the movement of people? Do we want a repeat of Metro Manila, or do we want to do better? The choice is ours.
Back in the 1970s, Amsterdam was no different from Metro Manila. Both were car-sewers plagued by road crashes. But when the Dutch realized the rising death toll of children due to vehicular collisions, they protested against building more roads for more cars.
The city gradually transformed into a cycling paradise with dedicated bike paths, protected intersections, traffic calming and extensive bike parking — where even children can safely ride a bicycle to school without their parents. Embracing cycling improved the quality of life to the point that the Dutch are among the happiest people in the world.
Paris, under former mayor Anne Hidalgo, is a prime example of how metropolises can rapidly embrace active transport to create more livable cities. By prioritizing spaces for people and mixed-use zoning during the pandemic, the City of Light was transformed into a 15-Minute City, where all the essential goods and services are reachable by walking, cycling or public transit. You won’t need a car because the alternatives are so much more convenient.
We would like to live in environment-friendly and healthy cities and communities, where all public spaces are connected, accessible, walkable, bikeable, safer, well-lit, convenient and clean.
At the end of the day, we must remember that bicycles are important, not just because they are wonderful machines, but because they are the wheels that move people and cities.
Architect-urban planner Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr. has 53 years’ experience in architecture and 51 years in planning. He was educated at Christ the King Seminary, UST, UP and Harvard. He founded Palafox Associates and Palafox Architecture Group, with 2,000 projects in 41 countries, and was recognized with 200 plus awards, including the UAP Dubai Awards First Lifetime Achievement Award (2023).