Netherlands Spearhead Cycling Project in Iloilo: The Netherlands has recently expressed interest in spearheading a project in the City of Love.The Dutch government plans to fly in consultants that will help the local government improve its infrastructure and will eventually benefit the cycling community.
Iloilo’s potential in becoming a highly urbanized city in terms of urban planning was what enticed the foreign country, according to Kevin Punzalan, a senior police officer at the Economic and Public Affairs of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Philippines, during his visit in Iloilo City. In an article by Philippine News Agency.
“We will bring here the Dutch Cycling Embassy, a public-private partnership in the Netherlands composed of the government of Netherlands and private consultants when it comes to urban planning and cycling. This is significant because the Dutch Cycling Embassy only operated before in Asia, which is in Japan. The Philippines will be the first Southeast Asian country to be the location of the bike workshop and we are very proud to bring them here,” states Kevin Punzalan, senior police officer at the Economic and Public Affairs of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Philippines
According to Punzalan, the Netherlands is just one of the countries interested in Iloilo and considers the city as one of the best models in the Philippines in terms of urban planning and being a sustainable city.
In lieu, a workshop dubbed ‘Think Bike Workshop’ is set to happen on October 7 to 8 and will be participated by representatives from the local government and transportation sector. City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia reveals that the workshop will promote culture, reduce the incidence of traffic, and seek ways to fight climate change. The output from the workshop will then be presented to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treňas.
“As the Dutch Embassy visits Iloilo City, the country’s rising biking capital and most bike-friendly community, welcomes this tourism plan to conduct a cycling workshop to review and discuss the different cases and situations in cycling society. The activity will be a public-private partnership of different organizations and company as it will enable Iloilo to be an urban cycling community,” states City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia.
Aside from the workshop, a bike tour is also anticipated. The bike tour will showcase the best practices of the city as well as reveal areas where the city can improve.
