MANILA, 21 October 2020 — Mayors of bike-friendly cities and sustainable mobility advocates will gather virtually to underscore the need for green and inclusive urban mobility solutions as part of the country’s post-pandemic recovery, on the 23rd episode of “Stories for a Better Normal: Pandemic and Climate Change Pathways,” with the topic “Championing Sustainable Urban Mobility.”
           
Viewers can look forward to hearing straight from Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora about their cities’ urban mobility programs. Joining the conversation are Chito Bauzon, Assistant Vice President of SM Supermalls and Red Constantino of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities.
 
The episode, hosted by House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, will air on Thursday, 22 October 2020, 10:00 AM via Facebook Live at facebook.com/CCCPhl and facebook.com/conglorenlegarda.

In previous episodes, the online series tackled food gardening and saving seeds, permaculture, good nutrition and diet, planting native trees, practical sustainability, narrating risk to resilience stories through books, tree pest and disease management, reviving indigenous textiles and crafts and transforming waste into wages.
 
This upcoming episode will feature Metro Manila cities’ strategies in providing the great majority of the population access to active mobility and non-motorized mainstream modes of transportation that are not only safe and functional, but also efficient and environmentally-sustainable.
 
According to a COVID-19 Community Mobility Report, the movement of people nationwide within public transit hubs, such as the Manila Metro Rail Transit and the Light Rail Transit stations, or bus and jeepney terminals, declined by as much as 85 percent in late April 2020. The latest report dated September 8 showed a 57 percent decline in transit station mobility nationwide, with a 67 percent decline in Metro Manila alone, compared to the end of July figures. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) counted over 100,000 cyclists traversing six (6) major intersections on EDSA last June, with an average of 4,000 cyclists every day.

During a previous episode on sustainable urban mobility, the MMDA supported Legarda’s recommendation to have a bike masterplan in Metro Manila, including the establishment of dedicated, protected, and connected bike lanes, as part of the “Better Normal for the Workplace, Communities and Public Spaces Act of 2020” (House Bill 6864 or Better Normal Bill), which she authored and sponsored in Congress.

The episode will air in celebration of World Cities Day on the 31st of October, which aims to promote cooperation toward meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world.

As an online discussion to promote health, environmental consciousness, and climate-adaptive practices, "Stories for a Better Normal" aims to change the mindset of individuals, families, and communities by demonstrating ways in which a ‘better normal’ can be realized within our communities.
 
This online discussion is organized in partnership between the Office of Deputy Speaker Legarda and the Climate Change Commission, with support from the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project-Philippines and Mother Earth Foundation.