A move to reduce carbon footprints was put in place, as the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) said it will restore its "bicycle culture" --- a ride-sharing system that would possibly be the first among all the higher institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines.

Together with the bike rental business of the UPLB alumni, Tipaklong Sustainable Mobility, Corp., the university seeks to pilot the ride-sharing system by offering several e-bikes and e-scooters for rent in the UPLB community.
"This is us taking a revolutionary step. As a national university, we need to be conscious of our carbon footprint and proactively engage our constituents with our efforts to be steadfast stewards of our environment," Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Roberto P. Cereno said.
UPLB in a statement on Feb. 18 said rentals could be made through a mobile phone application while the system will go through a feasibility study to assess factors including the "total number of trips, distance traveled, and carbon dioxide emissions avoided" among other significant aspects for its implementation.
It also added the UPLB Security and Safety Office will be provided with bicycle units that can help them ease their patrol operations around the campus.
"This collaboration is part of the Green Mobility Initiative (GMI) which envisions a green community for UPLB by forging partnerships and developing mechanisms to promote and adopt environment-friendly modes of campus transport," it added.
UPLB said more bike racks will be positioned on the campus to motivate the community to be one with the goal of "green and active transport."
Moreover, the university’s Transportation System and Traffic Management Master Plan (TSTMMP) came up for the materialization of bike lanes on campus to also advance the "road safety of cyclists."
UPLB also informed the public who may have an interest in sponsoring or being part of the GMI by sending their intent through an e-mail addressed to the UPLB Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs at mailto:[email protected].
"With this initiative, UPLB is inching closer toward ecological sustainability and its vision of a green and future-proof campus, one pedal at a time," it said.