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On all weekends of August, parts of Makati's Salcedo Village will go car-free
Makati City is expanding its car-free streets program to include more roads on all weekends of August.
In addition to Ayala Avenue, the streets connecting Ayala Triangle Gardens and Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village will be closed to private vehicles every Saturday and Sunday of August, from midnight to 11 p.m.
The initiative, dubbed “Weekend Shared Street in Salcedo,” aims to give residents and visitors more space to walk, cycle, exercise, and enjoy other outdoor activities.
“By limiting vehicle access, the streets become more enjoyable for walking, cycling, recreation, and community activities while maintaining access for authorized vehicles where applicable,” the Makati Central Estate Association Inc. said in a statement on Instagram.
Every Saturday and Sunday in August, Paseo de Roxas will be fully closed to vehicles, while one lane on both Sedeno and Villar streets will remain open to traffic.
Meanwhile, the portion of Leviste Street in front of Jaime Velasquez Park will be fully closed, while one lane on the rest of the street will remain open to vehicles.
The initiative also aims to gather feedback from the community to help shape future improvements to Makati's public spaces and walkability efforts.
Ayala Avenue has been car-free every Sunday since September 2023 as part of efforts to promote a more active lifestyle among residents and visitors.
In a previous interview with GMA News Online, wellness instructor Rain Bautista said initiatives such as car-free Sundays can positively influence Filipinos' lifestyles, but added that they should not be limited to just one day each week.
"What we really need are more permanent, accessible public spaces that encourage movement every day," she said.
Echoing Bautista’s sentiment, board-certified psychiatrist Neil Bryan Zafra said the concept of car-free Sundays on specific roads can have a positive impact on people’s health, especially for those looking for open spaces to engage in physical activity.
However, Zafra said that beyond car-free Sundays, what the country needs is more green space.
"We need more green spaces in the city to help us improve our mental health," he said. "As a recommendation, the government can do urban planning for the development of parks and green spaces, instead of shopping malls."
—Hermes Joy Tunac/JCB, GMA News
