ANGELES CITY — A call for a solidarity bike ride to save the 259 trees along Fil-Am Friendship Circumferential Road has been organized by some concerned private pedal-pushers here on Sunday.
Dubbed Paldak Sikanan Para Kareng Tanaman/Solidarity Ride for the #Friendship259, the event is set on Feb. 21 at 6 a.m.
It can be recalled that the Regional Trial Court Branch 59 here dissolved on Feb. 2 the temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) of the trees and are now at risk to be cut down by the Department of Public Works and Highways to pave the way for the road–widening project by the government.
According to Solidarity Ride for the #Friendship259 lead organizer Harvs Santiago, the bike for a cause is “a call to continue pedaling the efforts and raise awareness” to save the 259 full-grown trees of various species and reach the authorities concerned.
“We aim here to raise awareness for all commuting public, primarily that the bikers are strongly against the unnecessary cutting of these trees. We aim to show the grave effect it would bring to all commuters passing through friendship hi-way, especially for the bikers” said Santiago.
The bike ride, Santiago said, also aims to echo the call to financially support the Save the Trees Coalition to fund the group’s legal actions in the Court of Appeals by buying face masks.
“Through the network that has been established, we would also like to echo the STC’s call for financial support. We would like to show that the biking public in Pampanga is not just a mere group for leisure or sports purposes but is now a sector that has concern towards the betterment of the society,” he said.
According to Santiago, the route will start at the La Pieta Memorial Park here going to Marquee Mall via Pandan Road to Don Bonifacio in Balibago off to Miranda Extension via MacArthur Highway all the way to Kalayaan Road to the City College of Angeles and then to Fil-Am Friendship Highway.
“We will go around Angeles ringing our bike bells or horns. Our final stop is the Fil-Am Friendship Road where the 259 trees are located,” he said.
Santiago also noted that they are coordinating with the city traffic enforcers and biker marshals to manage the traffic during the ride as they also settle the details needed in accordance with the safety guidelines set by the IATF.
Santiago said they hope for each rider to have a selfie with any of the trees after the ride to make the call louder through social media.
The Paldak Sikanan Para Kareng Tanaman/Solidarity Ride for the #Friendship259 now has a total of 550 registered bikers from private individuals to different biker groups.
To join the bike for a cause, you may register through the link below. Registration is free.
For announcements, updates, and other details, you may also join Paldak Sikanan Para Kareng Tanaman(Solidarity Ride for the #Friendship259) group on Facebook.
