OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Cycling has captured the public imagination as a sustainable and enjoyable mode of transportation. As a cycling advocate, I have had the privilege to contribute to discussions on its potential, particularly in the realm of cyclo-tourism. While the appeal of exploring destinations on two wheels is undeniable, I believe it is equally important to spotlight the economic underpinnings of cycling, especially for minimum wage earners and marginalized communities. This piece delves into the practical economic benefits that cycling offers to minimum wage earners, demonstrating how a simple bicycle can be a reliable tool for improving livelihoods. The question now is: how can we sustain this activity that emerged as a critical lifeline during the pandemic, particularly for those who depend on it for daily survival?

This growing enthusiasm for cycling can always be informed by the economic realities that many Filipinos face. When calamities hit us, the informal labor force takes the brunt of any economic damage. We do not need to be economists to realize that; oil prices and inflation, among others, convey that message eloquently – and painfully.

For a fuller grasp, we can refer to a groundbreaking baseline study that quantified the benefits of cycling in the most practical terms: Philippine pesos. Entitled “Bikenomics – Assessing the Value of Cycling in the Philippines” and published in 2021, it provides the real transportation cost in the admittedly car-centric system that we all are in. The awareness it builds from a concrete accounting of benefits, can only serve to aid local government units, legislators, developers and private sector groups on the needed policies that rest on more updated analysis.

And if we want to give a face to these people we refer to as most affected, we need not go far. When Super Typhoon Carina struck, those privileged enough had provisions to preserve their bicycles. Filipinos who relied solely on their bicycles had to contend with their livelihoods being brought to a standstill.

The pandemic-induced shift toward sustainable and independent mobility has significantly contributed to the rise of cycling. We will recall how the 2021 findings of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Institute of Labor Studies (ILS) on the number of respondents who used their bike to get to workplaces support this. 

One important point is that while health and recreational benefits of cycling are well-documented, we often overlook its potential as an economic driver. Understanding its capacity to generate livelihoods can take the form of free bicycle projects such as the initiative of DOLE, in partnership with private sectors like Grab and Lalamove in 2022. These efforts, along with numerous initiatives by other organizations and volunteer groups, demonstrate a growing recognition of cycling’s potential to uplift communities. Indeed, if solidarity is based on the principle that we are willing to put ourselves at risk to protect each other, we are bound to do more in securing a safe and accessible cycling infrastructure. Without a supportive environment, these well-intentioned efforts will have a limited impact or worse, be rendered tokenistic. 

Poverty and economic inequality are complex issues, and cycling alone cannot eradicate them. We have no claims that we can simply pedal our way around these social concerns. The economic value of cycling presents itself and we are in a reasonable position to use it. People at the margins share the same road with you.

(Atty. Gregorio “Goyo” Larrazabal is a former Comelec commissioner. He is a pioneer of automated elections being a member of the Commission that successfully modernized Philippine elections in 2010. He remains deeply involved in public service as an election lawyer. Email: [email protected])