Whether for sightseeing, exercising or playing, about 10 million households in the Philippines use the bicycle.
That’s 36 percent or nearly four of 10 households, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in March.
Four households own bicycles for every household that owns a car.
Most owners of motor vehicles have two-wheelers, such as motorcycles, reflected in 13 national surveys the SWS conducted from May 2020 to March this year.
Cycling households have at least one member who uses the bike for any kind of reason, from essential tasks to leisure.
The 10 million cycling households are up from the 7.3 million in a survey in April 2022 and 6.2 million in May 2021.
It runs through the ages. While majority of cyclists, are 17 years old and below, there are about just as many among the elderly who cycle.
About 2.3 million among the 55-age group and above — and about the same number (2.7 million) in the 18-34 group. There are about 2.3 million among the 35-44 age group.
Among the household members who bike, one in 10 or 13.1 million are males and 4 percent or 4.3 million are females — a 3:1 ratio, according to the March 2023 survey.
About 6.4 million of the households surveyed last March use their own bicycles, about the same number or 5.8 million in April 2022 and higher than the 4.7 million cycling households in May 2021.
About 3.6 million households use borrowed bicycles, more than double the 1.5 million who did the same in April 2022 and May 2021.
Of the 17.4 million non-cycling households, 16.9 million have no bicycles at all while half a million have bicycles but do not use them.
As of March 2023, about 6.6 million Filipino households own bicycles, slightly up from 5.9 million in April 2022, the SWS survey shows.
More Filipinos used the bicycle for recreation than they do for essential tasks. Some 7.5 million households used the bike for recreation, a number that increased from 4.7 million in April 2022.
Most were used for sightseeing, exercising, and playing — in that order.
Some 6.7 million households cycle for essential activities such as market/grocery/store runs; going to places aside from the workplace; going to/from the workplace; and for job/livelihood — in that order.
The main reasons for using the bike are to save on fares (56 percent or 5.6 million bikers) and to improve one’s health (46 percent or 4.6 million).
Other reasons are to save on travel time; to lose weight; for recreation/play; and to meet other people/make friends. Those who used bicycles for essential activity cited transportation, going to places, work/livelihood; and to save money/use saved money.
Among the cycling households who use their own bicycles, about 4.6 million do so for recreation, up from the 3.7 million in April 2022. In particular, 3.1 million cycle for exercise, up from 2.4 million in April 2022. About 3 million cycle for sightseeing, and playing.
