IN March 2022, then presidential and vice presidential candidates Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte vowed to ensure that protected bike lanes would be integrated into the country's road network. The UniTeam underscored in their campaign statement the need for high-quality bicycle infrastructure: "The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us the need to develop active transport (walking and cycling) as a practical and healthy alternative to existing modes. By including the provision of bike lanes in the planning and design of our roads, we ensure that our people have options to move around. We need to ensure that these bike lanes are safe and in compliance with international standards. It will increase the people's confidence to use bicycles as their preferred mode of transportation."
The UniTeam cited the sharp growth in bicycle ownership as a clear indication of the Filipino people's desire for better active transport infrastructure. Drawing on survey results of Social Weather Stations (SWS), the Marcos-Duterte tandem highlighted the surge in bicycle ownership from 8 percent of households in November 2020 to 20 percent of households in May 2021. They declared: "We are for the completion of the Manila Bike Lane Network, and we are also eyeing to roll out a similar plan for other urban centers in the country. We need to encourage bicycle use as it is a practical and good exercise activity." Subsequent SWS surveys showed continued rapid growth in bicycle ownership, finding in April 2022 that 23 percent of Filipino households owned bicycles.
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