Every June 12, Filipinos celebrate Independence Day to commemorate the sacrifices of our heroes for our freedom. However, when you consider the time, money, and energy we waste in traffic, can you say that we are truly free?

Now, 350 Pilipinas organized a Workers’ Bike Bus on June 11, where 80 people biked from Quezon City Hall to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s end-of-trip facility in Pasig City, with the support of the MMDA, Quezon City’s Green Transport Division, and Happy Pedal Project.

A bike bus refers to a group of people who ride together along a common route with different stops.  It’s similar to a school bus, except that the parents and the students are on bicycles instead. Although the term is mainly used for a school drop-off, it can also be used for a critical mass of cyclists with a common route.

The biggest advantage of a bike bus is safety in numbers. But for 350 Pilipinas, it is also a form of demonstration. Put the same 80 people in their own cars each, and you get a traffic jam. Replace the cars with bicycles, and everyone gets to move—including the motorists around them.

Just as the bike bus is a shield for its members, active transport is a “vital economic shield against volatile energy prices and gridlock.” Although the national government is vocal about its support, the budget for active transport tells a different story, plummeting from P2 billion in 2022 to only P105 million this year.

“Our workers cannot be truly free if they are forced to spend half their day trapped in traffic, and half their paycheck on rising fuel costs,” said Mobility Awards national coordinator Amber Garma. “Active transport is our ticket to economic independence. Ahead of the President’s State of the Nation Address, we are demanding that policymakers fund our freedom by investing in interconnected infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians in the national budget.”

The Philippines still has a long way to go in terms of infrastructure and development. But if you want to claim your independence from traffic, freedom is only a bike ride away.