Pedal Attraction in Iloilo
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A cyclist makes her way around a mural, painted as a tribute to the city’s frontliners (photo: Vic Salas)
The opening of Iloilo to world commerce in 1855 likely introduced bicycles to the city, especially towards the last decades of Spanish rule and into the American era. In the late 19th century, Iloilo had a booming economy, the second largest after Manila, fueled by agriculture, textiles, weaving, and sugar. Foreign trade offices and consulates were established, and the city drew in more migrants from other Asian countries, such as Japan, India and China.
Bicycles were first described in Germany in 1818. It took 45 years before pedals were attached, and later modifications were introduced in France, Britain, and the USA. Not the epitome of comfort, the early bikes were termed “bone crushers.” In 1885 a more recognizable version, the “safety bicycle,” with equal-size wheels and a chain drive rolled off into the streets in Britain[i].
Bicycles were definitely in use in Manila in the 1890s, as there were reports of mestizos racing bikes in the Luneta, with contestants “tipping over one after the other when going around the corners.” By 1902 the Philippine commission saw fit to publish regulations on the use of bicycles in streets[ii]. Ads for bicycles appeared in local publications at this time.
Journalist Howie Severino writes evocatively about how Philippine national hero Jose Rizal pined for a bicycle while in exile, mentioning this in several letters to his mother and sisters[iii], but it seems he was unable to buy one in the end.
By the 1920s, in Iloilo City, many banks and even large department stores had opened. Bicycles started to be a more common mode of transport – there are photos of people on bikes from the prewar era, and a Japanese, K. Yoshida, advertised an Iloilo bicycle store in the 1934 Graduation Annual of the former Colegio (now University) San Agustin.
Ad for an Iloilo bicycle store, 1934 (Colegio de San Agustin, 1934 graduation annual)
Growing up in Iloilo City in the ‘60s and ‘70s, we had a bicycle at home but rarely ventured out of our yard, owing to concerns about accidents. The bicycle then was seen mainly as a plaything. But there were already hard-core professional cyclists, dark and trim, who joined the annual “Tour of Luzon” competition, which was held from 1955-1976. They were household names like Padilla, Sumalde, Reynante, and Rivas. A cigarette company lent its name to the tour in the ‘80s and ‘90s. When I was studying medicine in the ‘80s one of our professors rode a racing bike, while clad in a barong – we thought this behavior eccentric yet understandable, since he was a psychiatrist!
Cyclist in 1920s Iloilo city. (photo: Nereo Lujan, FB Page: Old Iloilo)
Evolution of the Bicycle.
Source: https://urbansimplicty.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/bicycle_evolution_large.jpg
Fast forward to 2018: The “bike-friendly city” title was awarded to Iloilo during the national Phil Bike awards, despite stiff competition from Marikina and Pasig.[iv] It is a well-deserved title, for the city had sustainable bike programs, gave unending support to the biking community, promoted environmental awareness, and had partnerships with the private sector. The city has, in the past decade, ramped up to another level of cycling and non-motorized transport (NMT) infrastructure by constructing more and more protected bicycle and walking paths, increasing connectivity between them, designing and painting bicycle lanes on main thoroughfares, and hosting an annual bike festival since 2013.
Being relatively flat and coastal, Iloilo City lends itself well to bicycle travel. There are no elevations to climb, except for the occasional bridge. Furthermore, the circumferential, radial and bypass roads connecting the city to other provincial towns and the international airport have been upgraded, making it convenient for both recreational and regular commuting. Even the routes along the major flood control system and the ones from Santa Barbara town down to the coast, are getting more popular with cyclists. And the city has “the longest dedicated and traffic segregated bike lane in the country,” designed by the award-winning landscape architect Paulo Alcazaren. The 4-km protected lane runs along Aquino Avenue (Diversion Road) which links the international airport to the city proper. Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon tapped his Priority Development Assistance Fund for the city’s bike lanes[v]. Foreign embassies, such as those of the Netherlands, have supported workshops on designing a bike-friendly Iloilo[vi].
The Iloilo biking community has been actively involved and consulted for improvements in the lanes; cycling advocates, now in the thousands, report regularly on enforcement of ordinances, potential hazards (such as low hanging signage, gaps in the pathways, poor lighting and visibility, etc.). They have been at the forefront of installing bike parking facilities, connector ramps and paths. The city government has been quick to respond, and has committed to adding 32 km of bike lanes. The advocates are a potent voice, with close to 30 cycling clubs/groups in the city and province.
Cycling in Iloilo has even been the subject of academic and research papers on transportation, public policy, and public services delivery[vii]. A 2016 survey of 400 adults in the city done found that two of five people had bicycles, but only about a third of them used their bikes regularly for commuting.
With Covid-19, cycling has boomed as more people are relying on bicycles to commute and do errands. Public transportation has been limited because of quarantine regulations. Other cities have also experienced increases in the number of cyclists. Iloilo’s ready infrastructure was an added boost. Bicycle shops have mushroomed, including those selling second-hand bicycles; the prices of bikes also rose by over 30% as demand grew.
Bicycling in Iloilo is here to stay and can only become more popular. People acknowledge its health benefits, and there is supportive local policy. Bicycles have been donated to front- liners and police patrol teams. When typhoon Ulysses hit northern Luzon in late November, the Iloilo bike community banded together for a fund-raising event, called “fun ride fund drive.” Well over 1,000 cyclists went on a 16-km drive through the city, using facemasks, riding in two rows, and enforcing physical distancing requirements. The ride raised over 113,000 pesos for the typhoon victims of Isabela province[viii]. Biking advocates have gone one step further -- riding for a good cause. Iloilo’s bike-friendliness has now extended to helping others in need.
Proposed additional bike lanes, Iloilo city. Source: Rock Drilon, on FB page “Iloilo-Bike Capital of the Philippines”
Footnotes{
[i] https://www.history.com/news/pedal-your-way-through-the-bicycles-bumpy-history
[ii] Giron, B. https://www.cyclingmatters.ph/culture/finding-bikes-in-our-history/
[iii] https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/specials/content/160/howie-severino-rizal-s-wish-for-a-second-hand-bicycle/
[iv] https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1763981/ILOILO/Local-News/Iloilo-City-wins-bike-friendly-in-Philippines-title
[v] https://www.who.int/roadsafety/week/2017/iloilo-city-story/en/
[vi] https://www.esquiremag.ph/wheels/drive/iloilo-city-bike-lanes-ph-sa00171-20200910-src-spot?utm
[viii] Camena and Castro, Cycling Odds: Factors Affecting the Propensity to Use Bicycles in a Highly Urbanized City in the Philippines. Phil. Transportation Journal, Vol. 2 No. 2, Nov. 2019 . also: Bongac, Quintilla et al. Iloilo city as a bike friendly city: A quick assessment. Presented Sep. 6, 2020 at a webinar of the Philippine Political Science Association
[ix] https://mb.com.ph/2020/11/30/bike-fun-ride-in-iloilo-raises-p113000-for-typhoon-victims/
Vicente Salas
Dr. Vicente Salas is a retired public health specialist who has worked for the UN and International NGOs in over 15 countries. He is now back in his native iloilo, after being away for 35 of the last 37 years.
