MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday said it will implement measures to ensure road safety for cyclists and pedestrians, emphasizing the need for safe and inclusive road spaces for them.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez made this statement — delivered by DOTr Undersecretary Ramon Reyes — during the launch of National Bike Day 2025, which features activities promoting and strengthening safe and active transportation across the country.
The agency noted that it had been directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize the safety of non-motorized road users under the National Transport Policy and the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.
“We must add infrastructure and tighten road safety measures to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians,” Lopez said speaking Filipino.
With this, the agency said it will improve and expand bike and pedestrian lanes, ensuring that these facilities are “inclusive of cyclists, pedestrians, and other at-risk road users.”
Lopez also emphasized the importance of giving proper road space to cyclists, noting that they, too, are legitimate road users.
“Cyclists should no longer have to plead ‘please share the road.’ They deserve safe and adequate spaces so they can safely reach school, work, and other destinations,” he added.
In a figure presented by the DOTr on November 14, the agency noted that “pedestrians, cyclists, and riders are most at risk,” with pedestrians accounting for 27 percent of road crash fatalities in Metro Manila and 12 percent of road crash injuries in 2021. /jpv