MANILA, Philippines — The number of people counted on bicycles in major Philippine cities dropped sharply this year even as total cyclist volumes remained significant, with the 2025 Bilang Siklista tally recording 218,866 cyclists nationwide, according to new data from the Mobility Awards convenors.
Conducted from July to September across 180 locations in 15 cities, the latest edition of the country’s largest citizen-led bicycle count showed a 26% average decline in cyclist activity compared with previous years.
The sharpest recorded drops were in the Visayas (-30.61%) and Luzon (-28.16%), while Mindanao posted a smaller reduction (-6.62%), suggesting different commuting patterns in southern cities.
Organizers attributed the decline partly to heavy rain during count days in Baguio, Naga, Quezon City and Iloilo, along with temporary roadworks and uneven volunteer coverage. They said the fluctuations highlight the need for weather-resilient bike lanes and more standardized, institutionalized data-gathering methods.
“The 218,000 people on bicycles represent only a fraction of those who rely on bikes daily, many of whom remain exposed to unsafe road conditions,” Aldrin Pelicano of advocacy group MNL Moves said.
The Department of Transportation said the results reflect a continuing “challenge to build more cycling infrastructure that is safe, reliable and comfortable.”
Cycling regions. Despite the overall decline, Metro Manila continued to register the country’s heaviest bicycle traffic. Quezon City logged a daily average of 19,232 cyclists across seven count days, followed by Taguig (16,607), Mandaluyong (14,354), Marikina (11,363) and Pasig (10,410).
In the Visayas, Mandaue recorded 6,753 cyclists and Iloilo City 4,716. Davao City led Mindanao with 3,506.
“These high volumes reflect not only the sustained bike-commuter demand but also the results of proactive city investments in safer, more extensive, and better-connected cycling networks,” Celine Tabinga, national coordinator of Mobility Awards, said.
Gender gap. This year’s data underscored deep gender disparities. Only 2.75% of observed cyclists were women, marking a further decline from previous counts.
Some cities — including Tagbilaran (32%), Danao (29%) and Naga (16%) — reported higher female participation, though advocates noted that certain increases were partly due to counts involving pedicab passengers.
LGU counts. The 2025 cycle saw wider institutional adoption of bicycle monitoring. Bacolod and Tagbilaran conducted their first city-run counts, 15 local governments trained their own volunteers, and several cities piloted digital counting tools.
Advocates said these developments are positive but stressed that stronger cycling infrastructure, protection, and consistent data collection remain urgent.