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[Philippines] Significant improvement in PM2.5 levels. A new way to travel in Manila, where traffic congestion and air pollution are serious problems.

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Manila Voted Most Congested City Most Congested City in the World

Manila is famous for its traffic congestion and air pollution, so much so that a study released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2019 once ranked Metro Manila as the city with the "worst traffic congestion" out of 278 cities in Asia. Since last year, bicycles and PMDs (Personal Mobility Devices, kick scooters, etc.) have been rapidly gaining popularity as a new means of transportation in Manila. Bicycles and PMDs are not only used by ordinary people for short-distance transportation, but are also used by food delivery drivers for deliveries. Bicycle and PMD parking lots and lanes for bicycles and PMDs are being built on the roadways, and the government and cities are taking the initiative in promoting their use.
The most popular type of bicycle is the sports type, which costs about 10,000 pesos (about 22,000 yen). Japanese city bicycles are called "Japan bikes" and more and more stores are selling inexpensive used bicycles starting at 3,000 pesos (about 6,700 yen).

After lockdown, PM2.5 values significantly improved

The COVID-19 epidemic occurred at a time when the national and local governments were beginning to work on the spread of alternative means of transportation to cars as a way to ease traffic congestion. With the lockdown, it can be said that the use of cars and public transportation increased, and at the same time, bicycles and PMDs attracted attention as a safe means of transportation, leading to their spread. Air pollution caused by car exhaust has greatly improved since the lockdown. According to a survey conducted by the University of the Philippines and other organizations, the PM2.5 level dropped to 1/3 to 1/4 of its previous level within two weeks after the lockdown.
It is also believed that the demand for bicycles and PMDs has increased along with the increase in demand for food delivery. In the past, only bicycles costing tens of thousands of yen could be seen, but the emergence of stores that sell inexpensive bicycles that can be purchased for a few thousand yen has also helped to spread the use of bicycles.

This article is co-authored by TNC Lifestyle Researcher (http://lifestyle.tenace.co.jp/) and Intage's Global Researcher.

  • TNCアジアトレンドラボ

    Author profile
    TNC ASIA Trend Lab

    TNC ASIA Trend Lab is an information organization run by TNC Inc. that researches and shares trends in Asia. It supports corporate marketing activities by finding insights from trends rooted in the lifestyles and habits of local consumers.
    http://tnc-trend.jp/

  • Intage Inc

    Editor profile
    Intage Inc.
  • Jun 02, 2021
  • 3115 Views

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