DTI urged to put price cap on bikes amid spike in sales

A price freeze must be imposed for bicycles as sales of such alternative means of transportation are booming amid the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines, according to Senator Francis Tolentino on Thursday.

“If we can also advise DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), kasi mayroong abrupt rise ng prices ng bisikleta ngayon. There should be a [price] cap or freeze on bicycles kasi nag-aagawan,” Tolentino said during a Senate hearing of the committee on sustainable development goals.

Many bicycle stores in Metro Manila observed an increase on their sales in the past weeks as mass transportation remained suspended.

The increased demand, however, has also pushed the prices up.

Several bills are being tackled in the Senate to make environmentally sustainable transportation a part of the new normal.

Senator Pia Cayetano said transportation stakeholders should “seize the moment” to institutionalize infrastructures for biking and walking in thoroughfares.

Tolentino said the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, an agency which he previously led, should revisit its old projects on the promotion of bicycle use.

MMDA deputy chairman Undersecretary Frisco San Juan Jr. said the bike lanes that were constructed in the metro years ago are still operational and that more will be created in the coming weeks.

“Mayroon pa pong mga additional na we were supposed to continue pero naabutan po ng COVID. We will resume construction of these additional bike lanes po as soon as GCQ is proclaimed for NCR,” he said.

Metro Manila will shift to the general community quarantine (GCQ) on June 1. -- BAP, GMA News