Davao City health workers offered free use of bicycles to get to work
By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY - The EZ Ride Bike Shop, a go-bike-shop here in the city, has lent five bicycles to health professionals have had a hard time getting to work amid the lockdown imposed to arrest the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). EZ Ride Bike Shop owner Eduardo Martin Zaldivar told The Manila Bulletin that he decided to offer the bicycles for use by the health workers because he had seen that many of them has been having hard time commuting to and from hospitals. “I am a husband to a doctor, Dr. Krislyn Kate Dublin-Zaldivar. She mentioned earlier, which we both witnessed, the struggles of some health professionals in commuting to and from work. If the substitute comes in late, the on-duty will get home late also,” Zaldivar said. As of Wednesday, March 25, the EZ Ride Shop has lent five bicycles to health workers from Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), Brokenshire Hospital, and Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH). Zaldivar said a health worker needs only to show an identification (ID) card, a photo or image of his or her certificate of employment, and the borrower’s name, address and contact number. It would also help if they relate the problems they’ve been encountering on their commute to work ever since the lockdown was imposed. The bicycles need only be returned to EZ Ride Bike Shop when the lockdown is lifted. “We hope we can lend more bikes to our health professionals, but time constraints due to lockdown, and I have to let my staff go home for their safety,” Zaldivar said, adding that the shop is temporarily closed starting March 25 in support to community quarantine. Zaldivar also expressed his gratitude to the Cycling Community of Davao for its support. He said the EZ Ride Shop is praying for the best of the country, with the right attitude and positive actions from the public.