The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is confident that it will gain support from lawmakers to increase the budget for its active transport program to at least ₱2 billion, as the agency races to construct up to 2,400 kilometers (km) of bike lanes by 2028.

During its budget hearing at the House of Representatives on Sept. 4, the DOTr lamented that the active transport bike share system and safe pathways program will receive only ₱69 million in 2026.

Based on the National Expenditure Program (NEP), which details the government’s proposed budget next year, the funding is allocated to "make roads accessible to cyclists and other sustainable modes of transportation.”

“This program will fund the expansion of bicycle lanes and improvement of road safety to promote active mobility among our commuters,” it read.

The DOTr said it proposed a funding of ₱2.43 billion before the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the agency in charge of reviewing and approving budget allocations.

This means that only three percent of the original proposal was earmarked for the program.

The DOTr aims to construct around 2,400 km of bike lanes by 2028, or before the term of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ends.

To date, the department has constructed a total of 982 km of bike lanes nationwide, spanning 34 cities and municipalities, with a budget of ₱5.08 billion already allocated to the program.

This leaves 1,418 km still to be constructed, or about 472 km annually until 2028.

Transportation Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor said the ambitious goal is well within the DOTr’s reach, provided the program secures sufficient financial support.

“We are very confident with our legislators that they will realize the need for additional funding for active transportation,” Pastor told reporters last week.

If the initial ₱2.43 billion is not feasible, the official said the department would be amenable to at least ₱2 billion.

Pastor, who oversees the DOTr’s road transport and infrastructure unit, said the active transport program has made significant progress since he assumed office in February, following his appointment by then-Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon.

Apart from building bike lanes, he said the other key components of the program have also been given priority.

The DOTr has so far constructed two end-of-trip facilities, 12 public utility vehicle (PUV) stops, 48 bike channels, and 738 units of bike sheds.

“This initiative of the department to highlight active transportation as an essential mode of transportation has also put a spotlight on its societal benefits, including the improvement of public health by promoting physical activity and a healthier environment through reduction of traffic congestion,” said Pastor.

The DOTr’s push for active transport is aligned with the government’s Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028, which advocates that pedestrians and cyclists be “accorded highest priority in the hierarchy of road users.”

Under the PDP, the government is tasked with prioritizing the development of adequate infrastructure and support facilities for active transport to further promote its use among the public.

The DOTr has a proposed budget of ₱197.33 billion for next year, a massive decrease from the agency’s request to the DBM of ₱531.74 billion.