Roxas Boulevard, to be car-free on Sundays

MANILA, (PIA) — Soon, Roxas Boulevard will be walkable and bikeable for an entire day.

Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna recently signed Ordinance No. 9047 to make Roxas Boulevard partly car-free and promote healthy lifestyles.

โ€œWe will make Roxas Boulevard partly car-free starting on May 26, Sunday. I personally inspected Roxas Boulevard to make sure the road will be ready for the people who will exercise. We checked for any hazards and gave instructions to make sure the road, sidewalk, bay walk, and connecting roads are cleared of hazards and garbage,โ€ said Mayor Lacuna.

She commended the Manila City Council for supporting our efforts to promote healthy lifestyles among Manileรฑos and other Metro Manila residents.

โ€œSpecial mention to Councilor Salvador Philip Lacuna for this initiative to motivate people to exercise, promote the beauty of the Manila Bay area, and support the continuing order of the Supreme Court for a healthy Manila Bay,โ€ Lacuna added.

The local chief executive noted the car-free Sundays on Roxas Boulevard could encourage people to shed off some of the excess weight they gained during the pandemic while they appreciate the historical, cultural, and economic significance of Roxas Boulevard from Luneta to Quirino Avenue.

โ€œCar-Free Sundays are not new because other NCR cities have done it. But what makes ours different and stand out is that it happens on Roxas Boulevard, which has been a significant part of the history, culture, politics, and economy of the city and the country.โ€

โ€œPeople will experience a different perspective of Roxas Boulevard. They will have more time to appreciate its beauty and significance while walking, jogging, running, and biking, instead of the sights going by like a blur while riding any vehicle,โ€ she added.

Lacuna assured that concerned departments from the local government unit (LGU) will be all hands on deck and will notify the buildings, businesses, residents, and offices along Roxas Boulevard so they can participate and make the needed adjustments to their Sunday schedules in May and June

โ€œThe walkers, joggers, runners, and bikers will get to see for themselves the results of the road reblocking and improvements underway on Roxas Boulevard. Waste management and public safety measures will be done to ensure the success of our pro-environment, healthy lifestyle activity.โ€ (Manila/PIA-NCR)