The Department of Tourism (DOT) will hold the “2B Commemorative Bicycle Tour” on April 9, 2012. The project is part of the official “Araw ng Kagitingan” activities approved and endorsed by the National Steering Committee on National Observance led by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
2B stands for Balara and Bilibid. The tour monumentalizes the two sites where Filipino guerrillas mounted victorious military action against the Japanese occupation forces. In Balara, a guerrilla town unit was able to rescue the Balara filters from demolition just a few days before the start of the Battle for Manila. In Bilibid, on the other hand, guerrillas mounted a daring raid to rescue their comrades held in New Bilibid Prison. They were able to execute the military operation successfully with lightning speed, surgical precision and without casualties. Sixty-six years later, it still shines as a Filipino feat of arms.
The route that connects the two sites passes through the eastern side of Metro Manila. From Quezon City, it goes through Pasig and traverses the old Spanish road that connected the former parts of Rizal to its former capital. The 2B Tour is more than 35 kilometers one way. The tour will include a return trip with scheduled rest stops along the way.
The 2B Tour is open to all cycling enthusiasts. It’s not a race and will be run at a leisurely pace of 15 to 20 kilometers per hour. The challenge is to complete the bike run. The route offers an alternative for cyclists who want to head south or north without passing through EDSA, C-5 or the SLEX service roads.
To get more information about the Tour, the DOT had asked some of the cycling participants to create a website for the event. They utilized free internet tools to create a website that has the historical background, a map of the route, with photos and the tour schedule and rules. The sign-up form to join the tour is also at the website: 2b-biking.weebly.com. Those interested to join are encouraged to use the sign-up form to save on registration time.
For those who enjoy a challenge for a more meaningful Araw ng Kagitingan, this is it.
This event also starts off DOT’s “biking with history” tour program. Competitive sports cycling have always been around. However, recreational cycling has grown tremendously in recent years. By adding historical content, the DOT aims to enrich the biking experience for enthusiasts, tourists, and everyone who might be interested. Biking offers a more intimate tourism experience. Biking is cleaner, its quieter, it’s healthier. It’s also a time and cost-effective mode of transport. By exploring what the biking community might need—safer bicycle routes, bicycle parking and the like–DOT hopes to make it more fun.
The event is supported by the following: National Historical Commission of the Philippines; Hunters Association, the veterans association whose guerilla efforts the event commemorates; Hunters Historical Society, for the WWII from the Filipino perspective/historical accounts; UP Beta Sigma Fraternity for bikers mobilization and social media networking; UP Diliman and New Bilibid Prison, for the launch and ceremonies venue; MMDA for traffic management, AEROMED, as the official medical support group, Lungsod ng Quezon City and Taguig City for their support and provision of LGU-based relay bikers; Philippines Daily Inquirer, as official media partner, and the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Marine Corps for logistical support and fielding of bikers.
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