WHEN Davao City declared a community quarantine in March following the first case of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the region, public transportation slowly became a problem for workers in the medical field.
Not only was there a problem in the shortage of mass transportation but many were also being discriminated against for fear that they may be carriers of the virus. Traveling between home and work was not easy for nurses, doctors, and other workers in the medical field.
In April, as Covid-19 cases steadily increased in Davao City, the city declared an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). This resulted in mass public transportation being suspended in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Traveling now for many frontline workers has become more challenging and adds pressure to their finances.
"Naga-taxi or trisikad back and forth. Gasto kaayu kay sa trisikad need pakyawon kay malugi man sad sila if ikaw lang ihatud, masabtan man sad (I travel to and from work by riding a taxi or trisikad. It is quite expensive because you have to shell out a large amount especially when you are riding a tricycle. However, it is understandable because you are their only passenger)," said Jesybell Reyes, who is a nurse at Brokenshire Hospital.
A one way trip from her home in Sandawa to the hospital would cost her P80 to P110. When she rides a tricycle, she would spend P50 one way.
Irene Louise Solon Padayon, who works as a pharmacy assistant in Matina Crossing, said she would have to wait for a while before she can ride a tricycle because, under the ECQ, tricycles are only allowed one passenger. Tricycle drivers would charge her P15 to P20 to take her to her work from her home.
"Tapos sa morning mas lisod gyud kay gamay pa man mo biyahe (It is harder to get a ride in the morning because there are not many tricycles available to cater to passengers)," she said.
Sometimes, she would just walk to work instead of riding a tricycle.
As they struggled to get a ride to work, a small group of Dabawenyos was organizing a project that would help not only frontline workers in the medical field but also those in other essential businesses.
A few days after the city was placed under community quarantine in March, bike shop owner Martin Zaldivar was talking over dinner with his wife, an OB-GYN from Brokenshire Hospital, of the difficulties of hospital workers to commute between home and work.
"From lack of public transport to outright discrimination while commuting, we had this idea to lend bikes from my bike shop to essential workers. To lessen, even just a bit, the difficulties faced by a frontliner," Zaldivar said.
To help the frontliners, he posted on Facebook calling on frontline workers who would want to borrow a bike. Their requirements? Just bring their ID and share their story.
"March 23, I met the borrowers and listened to their stories. That day I lent five bikes," Zaldivar said. He shared their stories on Facebook and it went viral.
"It was clear -- many more are in need of transportation," he added.
Knowing that this idea may not be unique and someone might be doing something similar in another place in the country, he searched the social media sphere to look for people who had a similar idea.
"I went to online forums and bike-to-work online groups and met Carlo P. Carlon of The Cyclelogist and Lend-A-Bike Project Facebook page. We launched Lend-A-Bike Project Davao on March 29," Zaldivar said.
Since their launch, 160 bikes have been gathered, repaired, and released by Lend-A-Bike. The project caters to the whole spectrum of essential workers -- health workers, security guards to food and grocery employees.
"We reach out to workers most affected by the lack of transportation especially those in the no-work-no-pay sectors," Zaldivar said.
Most of the borrowers work in hospitals or groceries. Many of them are nurses, hospital housekeeping staff, security guards, and promodisers.
There are also borrowers who lived quite far from where they work.
"On a recent survey of our borrowers, we have lend-a-bikers plying routes as far as Dumoy to Magallanes (Rick Rentuar), Lasang to Bajada (Chong Solarte), and some with multiple stopovers like Maa-Cabantian-Quirino-Maa (Yaj Zid), a roving merchandiser," Zaldivar said.
Borrowing a bike
The borrowing system is simple. Through the Lend-a-bike Project Davao Chapter Facebook Group page, which has over 3,800 members, bike lenders are being connected to potential borrowers.
"Borrowers post their details: name, workplace, job description, and height for bike sizing. Lenders post pictures of the bike, general description of the bike and the location," Zaldivar said.
There is also a Lender Agreement Form that borrowers and lenders download from the Facebook group.
"This form also serves a waiver for the lender and a promissory note for the borrower. They fill-up the form with pertinent details and the date of the intended return of the bike. Lender keeps the form along with a photocopy of borrowers work ID," Zaldivar said.
Borrowers are also encouraged to upload pictures of the "bike turnover" to the page Lend-a-Bike Project Davao Chapter for social proof and documentation.
Volunteers
While the Facebook group page links the borrowers and the lenders, volunteers also play a crucial role in making sure bikes arrive to the borrowers and any assistance the members needs are met.
Volunteers help lenders identify a borrower, can't hand over bikes in person, check the roadworthiness of the bikes, or repair the bikes.
"Lend-a-bike members stepped up, went out of their comfort zones, and grouped themselves into teams. Bike transporters, like Liza Elsie Parreño and Mark Javing, pick up and consolidate bikes from lenders and drop them off to borrowers," Zaldivar said.
Parreño, who is from Matina, has gathered 30 bikes from friends and released it to borrowers. There is also Philip Candelasa who has distributed 25 bikes among frontliners. Candelasa is from Catalunan Grande.
Javing has also set up a group of bike mechanics to serve as an emergency response team for frontliners in need of roadside assistance.
"Bike mechanics, like Jaymar Llupar, Phillip Candelasa, and Jeffson Occidental conduct repairs, checks for roadworthiness and provide emergency roadside assistance if needed," Zaldivar said.
There are also bike shops that provide parts needed for the bike repairs.
Group administrators Kristal Jane Buhian, Jan Dayanan, and Resand Gaid sift and match lenders to borrowers. They also provide dispatch services to transporters and mechanics to point them where to go and who to meet.
Zaldivar said the system they implemented may be "rough" but they did whatever they can during the ECQ.
Happy borrowers
"The project has helped me in so many ways. Apart from easing my daily commute to work, I have gained friends through the page. I was also able to help out my co-workers by referring them to the bayanihan. Best of all, it has boosted my interest about bikes, gaining a new hobby," said Karen Justiniani, a nurse at Davao Doctors Hospital.
Justiniani was among the first borrowers of Lend-A-Bike project Davao.
Facebook user Rold Keisatsu, a police officer at the Davao City Police Office, responded to Justiniani's request to bottow a bike.
Reyes said Dr. Jeannette D. Nacilla and her husband lended a bike to her. They were also the ones who brought the bike to Reyes's workplace.
"Dako jud kaayu ug tabang ang Lend-A-Bike Project sir labi na sama nko na isa ka nurse ug mama. Need on time sa work ug maka-tipid sad. Tungod sa bike na pahiram sa akoa pwedi nko dili mag avail sa shuttle services...para mas maka-avail tung layo-layo jud og puy-anan (The project was a big help for me. As a mother, I need to save while as a nurse, I need to be on time for work. Also with the bike, I do not need to avail of the shuttle services anymore so other people who need it can avail of the service)," Reyes said.
Padayon said also extended her gratitude to Tan Tan Pinton for lending his bike to her.
"Naka tabang ni sa ako para mas dali ko maka abot sa akong trabaho para dili ko ma-late kay sayang pud ang kaltas na P10 og para maka tipid ko sa pamasahe. Labi na kay ako ra ang nanginabuhi sa amo karon kay wala na naka drive akong bana na tricycle driver og wala pa gyud sya naka dawat og ayuda isip usa ka driver (Having a bike was a big help to me. Aside from not arriving late to work, I am able to save. Being able to save is important now considering that I am the breadwinner of my family now as my husband is unable to work as a tricycle driver during these times. He has also not received any cash aid too)," Padayon said.
Since she can't bring their child to work, it is her husband who is taking care of the child at home.
Road sharing
As more people turn to bikes during the community quarantine, Zaldivar hopes that with the new normal bike lanes and road sharing signs will be placed to encourage cyclists and would-be cyclists.
"The cycling community has a very big role in making a city bike-friendly. Cyclists must also be well informed about the rules on riding a bike on public roads. Cyclist must also adhere to the safety regulations set by the city; wear helmets and high visibility stripes and must handle their bike with proper road etiquette," Zaldivar said.
He said cyclists are here not to "take away" the roads but are here to share.
"Beyond the added infrastructure, driver and rider education will ultimately dictate the measure of success of road sharing initiatives. Road safety is a product of mutual respect among drivers and riders. Mutual respect springs from mutual knowledge of the rules," Zaldivar said.
Leaving a legacy
Zaldivar said he hopes that once the Covid-19 ends and the bikes have been returned, Lend-A-Bike Project Davao will be remembered as a community who not only lent bikes but also helped uplift the community amidst the pandemic.
"This project started in Davao by lending out five bikes and telling the stories of our frontliners. After we surpass this crisis, it won't be about how many bikes were lent out; it will be about the stories of the people who refused to cower in fear of an invisible enemy. It will be about the people who pedaled and continued to show up at work so that life, for the rest of us, will go on," Zaldivar said.
He hopes the message of why they lend will remain that once the bikes have been returned to the lenders after the pandemic.
"Why we lend and not simply give. When we give or donate, we are saying: 'I have a lot so I'll share some.' When we lend, we are saying: 'this is what I have but others need it more than I do.' Not everyone can donate, but we can always lend to a neighbor in need," Zaldivar said.
He added, "I hope people will continue to ride a bike to work even after the pandemic having experienced its benefits; low pollution, passive exercise, and an overall sense of achievement of what you have conquered first thing in the morning. If not I hope they enjoyed the experience of rekindling childhood joys of riding a bike."