Bonifacio Global City was developed by a public private sector partnership with a vision of making it a pedestrian-safe urban center. It has wide sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, and high rise buildings with setbacks at ground floors to provide cover for pedestrians. There are more signs advising motorists to stop for pedestrians and more high humps to slow down vehicles before pedestrian crossings than any other place in the Philippines.
Yet, there are still drivers who do not heed the traffic signs, sometimes resulting in tragic accidents.
Photo credit: Kotse.com. Two SUVs collided and then hit a passerby in this accident that occured in 2015.
Part of the problem is that many drivers who are used to driving outside of BGC bring with them the bad driving habits that they are allowed to develop elsewhere in the Philippines into BGC. Even if they have become residents in BGC, the bad habit stays with them.
Admittedly, sometimes pedestrians do not follow the lights and are thus at fault, and traffic lights are in some places not set properly and cause confusion to drivers and pedestrians, but more often than not, some drivers just have the attitude that pedestrians should give way to vehicles, when it should be the other way around.
Many BGC residents are mad enough about these reckless drivers that they are going to do something about this. Spearheaded by a residents’ organization called E.Q.U.I.P@BGC, residents joined an event called BGC Passionfest Parade and broadcast their message to all motorists entering BGC:”Stop for Pedestrians, Stop for BGC!”
The BGC Passionfest is an annual festival organized by the BGC authorities to celebrate everything about BGC. This year, the festival’s theme is to highlight the multi-national mix of the residents and locators of BGC.
Above, E.Q.U.I.P@BGC at 2017’s BGC Passionfest’s Parade. Photo credit: E.Q.U.I.P@BGC.
Photo: Route of Passionfest Parade
E.Q.U.I.P@BGC’s Walk for Pedestrian Safety took place on December 2, 2018, at 3pm. While EQUIP@BGC had taken part in Passionfest parades before, this was the first time that they adopted a theme in the event.
The Passionfest Parade 2018 was participated by brass bands and other parade groups as well as local organizations.
Kids and adults alike displayed their message about pedestrian safety to people who watched the parade.
Contact Sue at 0917-892-2163 or equiphdcfi@gmail.com to inquire about EQUIP@BGC.
