REP. LAWRENCE “LAW” H. FORTUN
Agusan del Norte 1st District
Member in the Minority
A lawyer by profession | Mobile number 09177292437
Make biking safe and affordable for all
BIKER SOLON CALLS FOR NATIONAL BIKING POLICY FOR NEW NORMAL MOBILITY OF PEOPLE
I ask the IATF to pass a resolution approving a Nationwide Biking Policy for community quarantine mobility.
I happen to bike once in a while as an alternative exercise to the sports I play. Biking keeps me healthy and fit. By necessity, more Filipinos are now riding bikes to reach their workplaces and attend to errands.
I have several suggestions on components of the national biking policy to make biking safe and acquiring bike affordable for all:
1. Massive local production of bicycles and trike bikes within the manufacturing ecozones and investment corridors;
2. More bike lanes in major roads and bike-only secondary roads especially in cities and major towns, and banning bikes from superhighways;
3. Anti-theft measures to keep bikes from getting stolen like designated bike parking, electronic and biomarker tagging, GPS tracking of bikes, etc.;
4. Strict enforcement of helmet laws, abrogation of ordinances banning helmets;
5. Duty-free importation of raw materials, parts, accessories, and safety gear for biking;
6. Mandatory accident microinsurance coverage of all bike riders and owners.
Sets of laws, ordinances, and agency directives can implement these six bike use promotion measures.
Concerned agencies would be the DTI, DILG, DOF, Tariff Commission, PNP, Insurance Commission, and the city/municipal councils.
The agency directives and ordinances would be the easiest to put in place.
The massive production of bikes can take about two to three months to start up.
The other measures could take a few months more. (END)