The Quezon City government has organized the “Katipunan Freedom Trail: Padyak Pabalik sa Kasaysayan,” a bike event tracing five historic routes taken by the Katipuneros during the Philippine Revolution.
According to Mayor Joy Belmonte, the 20-km bike trail provides a glimpse on the colorful history of the city, promote healthy living and save the environment by reducing air pollution.
“Sa ating pagpadyak, hindi lang natin nabibigyang pansin ang mahalagang bahagi ng kasaysayan na matatagpuan sa ating siyudad. Tayo rin ay nakakatulong sa ating kalikasan. By riding our bikes, we help to mitigate climate change, improve air quality, and reduce carbon emissions in the city. This is a testament to our commitment to make Quezon City a safer, greener, and more habitable place for its more than three million QCitizens,” Mayor Belmonte said.
With more than 500 participants, the ride started at the Andres Bonifacio Shrine in Balintawak, down to Barangay Apolonio Samson (Barrio Kangkong), then to Cry of Pugad Lawin monument in Barangay Bahay Toro in Project 8, where bikers simulated the tearing of “cedulas.”
It continued to the Melchora “Tandang Sora” Aquino National Shrine in Barangay Tandang Sora, where relatives of Tandang Sora greeted the riders. The last stop was the Holy Parish Cross Church in Barangay Krus na Ligas in Diliman, where Katipuneros took shelter. The cyclists continued their ride to Quezon City Hall where they received a shirt, meals, bike repair kits, and a helmet.
For his part, Assistant City Administrator for Operations Alberto Kimpo bared that the city government’s goal is to expand the QC bike lanes to 350-kilometers from its current length of 171-kilometers.
“Kasabay ng paglawak ng mga bike lanes sa QC, kailangan ay dumami rin ang mga siklista. Kailangan nating matulong-tulong upang patuloy na mapalawig at maprotektahan ang ating bike lanes,” ACA Kimpo said.
To ensure the safety of bikers, more than 2,000 concrete plant barriers are currently being installed across all districts.
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