Iloilo Bike City

20/05/2026

when your no wang wang policy is fully realized.

Most heads of state leave office in a motorcade. Mark Rutte got on his bike.

In July 2024, after fourteen years as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rutte handed power to his successor Dick Schoof inside the Binnenhof in The Hague. He walked out, swung a leg over his bicycle, and pedaled away from the most powerful office in the country like it was any other Tuesday. Reuters captured the moment. Within hours it was everywhere.

The clip resurfaces every few months because people outside the Netherlands struggle to believe it's real. No black SUVs. No motorcade. No security detail jogging alongside. Just a man, a bike, and the road home.

Rutte had cycled to work as PM for years. Political analyst Andre Krouwel told AFP that in Dutch politics you do not need to show power through limousines and expensive cars, because that kind of humility is what voters actually respect there.
But it only works in a country where the infrastructure makes it possible. Protected lanes. Drivers who expect bikes. A culture where a courier, a schoolkid, and a head of state share the same path home. The Dutch built that on purpose over decades. The bike is not a hobby there. It is the road system.

Rutte took over NATO three months later. The bike, presumably, stayed in The Hague.

30/04/2026

1 like. "The Evolution of "Safety First" with Peter Norton (Phil & Junko on AV Safety ep02)"

08/04/2026

'sacklee

"Don't wanna go far for stuff"

My powerful and eloquent rebrand of the 15 minute city.

25/03/2026

🚐 𝘿𝙄𝙄𝙉 𝙆𝘼 𝙈𝘼𝙆𝘼𝘿𝙏𝙊? 𝘿𝙄𝙄𝙉 𝙆𝘼 𝙂𝘼𝙎𝘼𝙆𝘼𝙔?
📍 𝙋𝘼𝘼𝙉𝙊 𝙄𝙆𝘼𝙒 𝙉𝘼𝙂𝘼𝘽𝙔𝘼𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝘼 𝙄𝙇𝙊𝙄𝙇𝙊?

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀!

The Metro-Iloilo Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) invites everyone to participate in the 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 conducted by Sweco consultants for the Metro Iloilo Integrated Public Transport System Project.

Simply scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/metroiloilotraveldiary to complete the survey.

Your daily travel experiences will help guide plans for a safer, more efficient, and more inclusive transport system for Metro Iloilo. Let us work together in planning a better transport future!

25/03/2026

📢 PAHIBALO SA PUBLIKO

Ang Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) paagi sa mga Local Government Units (LGU) sang Iloilo City, Oton, Pavia, Leganes, San Miguel, Sta. Barbara, kag Cabatuan ang karon nagapatigayon sang Traffic Count, Boarding and Alighting, kag Ridership Surveys sa mga nahanungod nga lugar.

Ini nga survey matabo sa Marso 23-27, 2026, ginpatigayon kaupod sang University of the Philippines - National Center for Transportation Studies (UP-NCTS) kag mga consultants sang Sweco International AB para sa Metro Iloilo Integrated Public Transport System Feasibility Study Project.

Survey Link: https://bit.ly/metroiloilotraveldiary

Ang mga datos halin sa nahanungod nga survey gamiton para mas mapaayo ang sistema sang public transportation sa syudad kag mga kaingod nga banwa sang Iloilo City.

Ginahangyo namon ang kooperasyon kag suporta sang tanan para sa kadalag-an sang ini nga inisyatibo. Madamo gid nga salamat!

15/03/2026

14/03/2026

"Spatial justice demands 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐨-𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬, 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬: 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐢𝐫, 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬. At the same time, it insists these rights be pursued in ways that preserve ecological integrity and intergenerational equity."

“In cities and communities, the concept of spatial justice emerges precisely from the tension between individual liberties and collective entitlements, recognising the urban environment is a shared commons where rights, resources, and responsibilities, both positive and negative, must be fairly distributed.

Spatial justice demands all residents, regardless of socio-economic status, have substantive access to essential goods and services: Clean air, affordable housing, public transport, green spaces, and safe infrastructures. At the same time, it insists these rights be pursued in ways that preserve ecological integrity and intergenerational equity.

The interplay of justice and freedom in the urban context, therefore, extends beyond immediate neighbours to encompass wider communities, ecosystems, and global concerns such as climate change. By situating urban governance within these interconnected dimensions, spatial justice reframes planning as a normative practice of care, redistribution, and recognition, oriented toward the creation of inclusive and sustainable cities.”

08/03/2026

Happy women's day!
may we finally get the space we deserve.

Stills of a mother as a school bike driver.

2016
Fundidor, Molo, Iloilo City

06/03/2026

The very rare days when pedestrians and non-motorized road users get to reclaim their space; the week when Iloilo City hosted the ASEAN meeting was one of them. In the past, it was also the day of SGLG evaluation [or at least in one of those days when compliance to roadside clearing was all in rage]. This side of the Iloilo City Hall is notorious for being so car-centric because this part is reserved for roadside parking of both the visitors and the employees of Iloilo City Hall. However, during the week of the ASEAN meeting, car parking was temporarily prohibited so we could paint a nice livable city picture for the visiting ASEAN officials. roadside ambulant vendors were also prohibited from selling because apparently, the official's idea of a bustling city is a ghost town, devoid of any daily human, working class activities.

06/03/2026

Advance happy women's day!
It is safe to assume nothing has changed in this area, 9 years after we took this photo. Except for the hostile urban furniture they installed right around the bend underneath the overpass to deter what, we don't know.

That's roughly 1/3 of the street used for parking. What a waste.