Biker collapses, dies while traversing EDSA

A biker collapsed Friday morning while biking along EDSA, according to a social media post by Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) special traffic and transport zone head Bong Nebrija.

It was not immediately clear why the unidentified biker collapsed.

A report by Ralph Obina on Dobol B sa News TV said the 55-year-old biker later on perished. Citing Nebrija, the report said the biker may have suffered from heat stroke.

The report did not identify the biker but said he was a former MMDA employee.

"To all fellow bikers out there please make sure you’re fit enough to endure the distance and heat while pedaling to work," Nebrija said on Facebook.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Nebrija said the biker was dead on arrival at a hospital. He also said the biker's family is already aware of the sad news.

"Ang nakakakilabot dito, may kamag-anak na tumawag doon sa kapatid ng biktima. Ang ano lang is bugso ng damdamin na nu'ng mabasa 'yung post ko sa Facebook, 'Baka si kuya ito.' Then tinawagan 'yung kapatid, pinuntahan, 'yun nga nandoon sila kanina sa Makati," said Nebrija.

With Metro Manila under modified enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public transportation is still prohibited, prompting many workers to resort to alternative means of transportation, including bicycles, in order to report for work.

On Wednesday, a security guard serving as a frontliner in a condominium building died of possible stroke while biking on his way home from work.

The security guard, Allan Artuz, was found lifeless on the road by authorities on after finishing his shift in a condominum building in Quezon City.

Artuz was biking him to Antipolo, Rizal, when he collapsed.

Nebrija, meanwhile, urged bikers to consider safety factors when biking.

"Yung kondisyon po ng pangangatawan o kalusugan natin kailangan nating alamin nang husto. Hindi po biro 'yung init na nararanasan natin ngayon and at the same time 'yung kawalan ng public transportation ngayon, kaniya-kaniyang diskarte talaga papasok ng trabaho," he told Dobol B sa News TV.  --with Jamil Santos/KBK, GMA News