[sustran] FW: Thousands bike for clean air in Manila

[Paul Barter]

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, 29 April 2003 7:48 PM
To: Clean Air Initiative -- Asia
Subject: [cai-asia] Thousands bike for clean air

This is an article forwarded by the Firefly Brigade, a member of the
Clean Air 
Initiative for Asian Cities in the Philippines. 

Last Sunday's Ride was featured in page A29 of yesterday's Inquirer.
Here's 
the article:

::::::::::::::::
Fireflies Tour: Thousands bike for clean air
Posted: 7:34 AM (Manila Time) | Apr. 28, 2003
By Luige del Puerto
Inquirer News Service

EVERY TIME Dinna Louise Dayao goes out biking, she knows she exposes
herself 
to polluted air and reckless drivers. But she bikes all the same, she
said, 
to "affirm that cycling is efficient, environmentally sensible and a
healthy 
means of transport."

Together with more than 2,000 bikers, Dinna, a freelance writer, battled
the 
relentless summer heat and toured seven cities in Metro Manila Sunday to

spread the gospel of biking.

They called the event, the "Tour of the Fireflies," a tribute to the 
light-carrying creatures that are disappearing fast in urban centers. 
"Fireflies are very sensitive insects, and very beautiful too. They are,

however, dying in Metro Manila because of pollution," Dinna told the 
Inquirer.

"Like them, we are dying too, albeit slowly, because of pollution. We
bike 
to show everyone that we want clean air, now" she said.

Metro Manila has more than two million motor vehicles, which produce 75 
percent of the air pollution in the capital. Next to New Delhi, Shanghai
and 
Mexico City, Metro Manila is one of the most polluted cities in the
world.

Many of those who joined the tour were first-timers. Among them was
Jasper 
Manlapaz, a footballer. Jasper rides his bike to work.

"When you choose to bike, you help the environment by not producing
toxic 
fumes. In the process you also exercise your heart, ensuring a healthy 
life," he said.

Another first-timer was Ayran Arellano, a 5-year-old boy. His father
Ridan 
brought him along with his elder brother Ayrl. Dressed like a firefly,
Ayran 
has yet to understand the politics of biking, but he loves to bike, says
his 
dad. "I want my children to grow up in a pollution-free city with biking

lanes," Ridan said.

The veteran cylist Roberto Abellar Sarreal, a pollster, missed the tour
this 
year due to an inguinal hernia operation. At 74, he has been the oldest 
racer in the tour.

Riding in a support vehicle, Sarreal said biking has kept him healthy.
He 
calls on senior citizens to do the same. "Next year, I'll be on," he
said.

Catrina Rasha Ricardo won this year's best firefly costume competition.
For 
her prize, she will fly to Bangkok, courtesy of Lufthansa Airlines, in
an 
all-expense paid three-day trip.

Started in 1999, the Tour of the Fireflies has been urging people to
ride 
bikes, instead of cars. Firefly Brigade, the tour organizer, said the 
government would do well to promote biking as an alternative
transportation 
system.

The key to this, the group said, is an efficient local bicycle traffic
lane, 
like the 66-kilometer bikeway network constructed in Marikina through a 
World Bank grant.

The brigade is now working on transforming the University of the
Philippines 
in Diliman into a calmer and safer "bike" campus. The campus oval has
been 
rendered "car-free" on Sundays so people can walk and ride bikes without

fear of getting bumped or sideswiped by a car.

Indeed, the benefits of biking are endless, contends the group.

Bikes are pollution free. They don't burn anything, except calories.
Bikes 
are cheap. Maintenance is cheap. In fact, more and more workers are
buying 
bikes to save on fare.

Yet the biggest winner in biking is ultimately one's health, everyone 
agrees. By the time one gets to the office, he or she would have toned
his 
or her muscles, circulated oxygen to his or her body efficiently, and 
exercised his or her heart. #
::::::::::::::::

The Firefly Brigade is grateful for your support. We look forward to
working 
with you on future projects.

Peace and pedals!

Dinna Louise C. Dayao
Member, Publicity Committee
The Firefly Brigade (www.fireflybrigade.org)
Tels. 813 1715, 0917 462 9132