Thousands of bikers joined the “1-4 Bike Caravan” in key cities around the country on Monday as a show of support for former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s Senate run in the May 2022 elections.
Almost 100 cycling associations participated in simultaneous bike caravans held in 14 cities and provinces across the country, including the cities of Manila and Marikina in Metro Manila, and in Vigan, Baguio, Urdaneta and Legazpi in other parts of Luzon.
Cayetano supporters also held bike caravans in the cities of Cebu, Ormoc, and Bacolod in the Visayas, as well as in General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga in Mindanao.
Cycling groups also held caravans in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Iloilo.
Many of these areas were beneficiaries of Cayetano’s Sampung Libong Pag-asa and Sari-Saring Pag-asa programs. Thousands of families and small businesses received support from both initiatives at the height of the pandemic.
In fact, sari-sari stores aided by the former Speaker in the past year showed their support along the bike path by putting up posters of the two programs on their storefronts.
Local leaders across the country expressed support and congratulated former House Speaker Cayetano’s volunteers for the nationwide bike caravan initiative.
According to Albay Board Member and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Albay Chapter President Joseph Philip “JP” Lee, both the nationwide bike caravans and Cayetano’s advocacy for eco-friendly campaigning are worthy of support.
“Ito pong eco-friendly campaign ni Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, sana maging example ito sa lahat ng politicians especially po sa national scene na kaya pala natin gawin ang eco-friendly campaign bilang makatulong po tayo sa environment,” Lee said.
(This eco-friendly campaign of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano should serve as an example for all politicians, especially those in the national scene, that we can mount an eco-friendly campaign and help the environment.)
Barotac Nuevo Municipal Councilor Simon Fernando also praised the bike caravan initiative, extending his gratitude to the Cayetano volunteers in his town for the successful conduct of the event.
“Sana ipagpatuloy ang ganitong mga bike caravan dahil ito po ay totoong eco-friendly at nakakatulong sa ating kalikasan,” Fernando said.
(I hope these bike caravans continue because these are truly eco-friendly and really help protect our environment.)
Meanwhile, Baguio City District Rep. Mark Go expressed his support for the initiative of the Cayetano supporters in his city.
“Kaya tayo nandito ngayon ay hindi lamang ipahayag ang ating tiwala sa kanya kundi ang ating pagmamahal not only to him but also sa ating bayan,” Go said to cyclists who joined the Baguio caravan.
(We are here not just to express our trust in him but also our love to the former Speaker as well as our country.)
A number of social media influencers known for their athletic passion also graced the nationwide caravan – Coycoy Caspe, Donald Labanon, Jekky Mendiola and Mikko Mahinay encouraged their fellow biking enthusiasts to join the caravan in their cities in support of former Speaker Cayetano.
The bike caravans were held in response to Cayetano’s call for an eco-friendly campaign for the May 2022 general elections and has indeed gained a lot of attention online.
As the first candidate to launch this kind of campaign, Cayetano said he will not be holding motorcades, saying that these consume a lot of fuel and contribute to pollution.
On February 28, a bike caravan — the first of its kind — was initiated in Pampanga and Laguna by several cycling groups in support of Cayetano.
Cayetano has urged his supporters to plant trees and mangroves, establish urban farms, and use social media as alternatives to traditional campaigning.
The call was praised by various environmental groups, such as the EcoWaste Coalition, which said the move reflects Cayetano’s deep concern for the environment and his important mission to make his campaign cleaner, safer, and better until Election Day.
The former House Speaker, who is currently leading various senatorial surveys, said he will push for a “faith-based” and “values-oriented” leadership in the Senate.
