Jheny Dabu

 

On September 6, 2025, 350 Pilipinas had its first learn to ride pedal-assist electric bike activity during the People’s Street Saturday at the Emerald Avenue, Pasig CIty, in partnership with light electronic vehicle (LEV) distributors Popcycle and Exion Cycles.

Despite the occasional rain showers that sprinkled throughout the early morning, people still flocked to People’s Street Saturday. We invited joggers, walkers, and passersby to check out multiple displays of e-bikes and have a try at them, free-of-charge.

The majority of them shared that they are already manual bike users, so it only took a few tries to get the hang of the pedal-assist feature. Some even commented that it was very easy to use and that they didn’t need to exert too much effort to pedal.

While other passersby are waiting for their turn to try the e-bikes, we also featured the latest episode of our #ChargingOurFuture video series where it shows how the Barangay Greenhills in San Juan City launched a public transportation route using a fleet of e-vehicles, which mainly service workers, students and visitors in the nearby hospital, university and establishments.

 

After the learn-to-ride activity, the crowd also participated in our interactive activity boards. The first activity board showed a game-like roadmap wherein participants wrote their names on a human-shaped puppet stick.

Using a prompt question, “Where are you now on moving people toward sustainable transportation?” each participant will attach their own puppet stick anywhere in the board that shows commitment on sustainable transportation.

The second activity board featured a “bike rack” board. Is is like a freedom wall where passersby were encouraged to answer another prompt question, “How do you imagine a #Sustainable Pasig City for your children and grandchildren?” The following list shows the responses we got from the activity board: 

 

1. It’s safe and good for the environment and making the place [and] safer in a sustainable way.
2. Great idea! With the sustainable car-free is the way to go!
3. I imagine roads full of electric vehicles to lessen pollution (i.e. more ebikes and e-cars). I hope to see better public transportation also and more carpools. I also wish for more walkable roads. 
4. Practice or being involved in daily activity like using bicycle and lessen using gas vehicle. Using Popcycle can be our stepping stone to a sustainable Pasig City. 
5. Better transport better healthy lifestyle! 
6. Pay your taxes for more flood control projects
7. It’s really good for our mother Earth also for our health because of zero pollution
8. Protect your environment to be more protected 
9. This is good and I have amazing experience 
10. Promote sustainable transportation
11. Less pollution, smoke free city 

Why did 350 Pilipinas choose Emerald Avenue’s car-free weekend for this activity? Car-free weekends originally served as a tactical urbanism to encourage the public to use alternative modes of transportation such as walking and biking and to reduce air pollution in urban spaces. Low-emission zones are entry points for city governments, civil society organizations, and non-government organizations to push efforts for decarbonizing cities through inclusive modes of sustainable transport such as non-motorized transport (e.g., bicycles, kick scooters, skateboards) and electric bicycles. 

 

During car-free weekends, a section of the city is able to take a break from transport-related carbon emissions, allowing the area to “breathe” and foster a cleaner, more livable environment where families and friends can enjoy urban spaces. While people view car-free weekends as a form of personal leisure, we hope that these kinds of activities could become a discussion starter on how car-free spaces are deeply connected to building a future where people can move within cities free from air pollution caused by an inefficient and outdated transport

 

 

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About the Author:

Jheny is the Sustainable Transport Campaigner for 350 Pilipinas working on several projects including sustainable development of public transport and EV adoption on transport and last-mile delivery. As a program manager, she leads research projects and stakeholders engagement in promoting sustainable transportation. Jheny also volunteers in a women’s organization and has special interest in gender-responsive social actions. Before joining 350 Pilipinas, Jheny worked as a travel and tours manager for 7 years. Outside of work, Jheny is a proud mother of an #AUsome child and spends her free time crocheting, knitting and watching BL series.