TRANSPORTATION Secretary Art Tugade is set to inaugurate three bike lanes in the National Capital Region, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao this month as part of the government’s goal to promote active transportation in the country.

This after the agency, together with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), completed 497 kilometers (kms) of pavement markings, physical separators and road signages in the three metropolitan areas.

In NCR, the DOTr and DPWH completed 313 kms of pavement markings, physical separators, and road signages amounting to P801,830,479.93.

In Metro Cebu, the agencies completed the installation of 129 kms of pavement markings, physical separators, and road signages for P150 million and in Metro Davao, the DOTr installed 55 kms of pavement markings, physical separators, and road signages amounting to P145,369,391.

The total disbursement for the three projects amounted to P1.09 billion under the Bayanihan Bike Lane Networks Project.

Sec. Tugade said the installation of pavement markings, physical separators and road signages shows how committed the DOTr is in promoting active transportation and ensuring the safety of the pedestrians.

“It is in fulfilling the desire of the public, and commuters, the Department of Transportation has been implementing projects geared towards that end,” Sec. Tugade said.

“We intend to provide commuters with access to faster, and efficient means of mass transportation; and to open infrastructure for active transportation such as walking and cycling,” he added.

The DOTr is targeting to inaugurate completed bike lanes in Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, and NCR within this month.

Under Republic Act. No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, the promotion of active transportation was strengthened by the declaration of the bicycle as an additional mode of transportation and the provision of funding to support the establishment of bike lane networks.

The DOTr and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), together with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier signed the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2020-001 to delineate the roles of national and local government units on the promotion of Active Transportation.(Jun I. Legaspi)

Some 90 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and prison staff at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City have been fully vaccinated during a 2-day vaccination drive last July 1 to 2, 2021.

The vaccination was conducted both at the SRPPF Medium Security Compound and Minimum Security Compound, the Bureau of Corrections said in a statement.

During the first day at the Minimum Security Camp, 90 eligible persons were inoculated for their 2nd dose of the vaccine.

The breakdown is as follows: Priority A1: (7) seven health personnel, Priority A2: Senior Citizen PDL: (53) fifty-three, and Priority A3: Persons with comorbidities PDL – (29), Personnel – (1).

On the other hand, the second day of Covid-19 vaccination was held at the Medium Security Compound.

Total number of eligible persons vaccinated is (75). Priority A1: (8) Priority A2: Senior Citizen PDLs: (65) and Priority A3: Persons with comorbidities PDL- (2).

Apart from SRPPF, the other BuCor facilities are the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Oriental Mindoro, Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte, and the Leyte Regional Prison in Southern Leyte.

BuCor is an attached agency of the Department of Justice. Under the law, the DOJ has administrative supervision of BuCor and has “the power to review, reverse, revise or modify the decisions of the BuCor in the exercise of its regulatory or quasi-judicial functions.”