* Original article here.

MANILA, Philippines—A bill granting fiscal incentives to bicycle commuters has been filed in the Senate.

Senate Bill No. 2924, known as “An act granting incentives to encourage and promote commuting by bicycles or other non-motorized transport vehicles, and for other purposes,” will entitle employees who regularly and mainly use bicycles or other non-motorized transport vehicles as means of transport to and from their places of work to an annual tax deduction of P2,500 from their gross income.

“Expenses incurred by employers or schools in providing their employees or students, by way of benefits, bicycles and non-motorized transport vehicles, eligible equipment, and bike-friendly facilities shall be deductible in full from their gross income,” the bill states.

Bicycles and other non-motorized transport vehicles granted by employers to its managerial and supervisory employees in compliance will not also be taxable under the bill.

Senator Ferdinand “Bong-Bong” Marcos Jr. said he filed the bill to address the primordial problems of air pollution, traffic and road congestion, rising costs of gasoline and other commodities, personal health problems, and other related social issues.

“This bill seeks to introduce a world-renowned approach to solving the above primordial problems of our society: the promotion and re-invigoration, by way of fiscal incentives, of bicycle commuting on Philippine roads,” Marcos said in his explanatory note in the bill.

The proposed legislation, Marcos said, also seeks to “incentivize” bicycle use as a mode of daily transport, particularly the use by workers and students, in order to maintain the present

bicycle-commuting scene and also attract more bicycle users in the country.

“The specific targets are the employees and students who shall be the direct participants in the fiscal incentive program or system, as well as the employees, schools, companies and other institutions that shall provide the conditions for the system,” Marcos said.

“Riders and direct users are benefited by bicycle-related facilities and tax deduction incentives, while indirect participants are benefited also by way of tax deduction on expenses and corporate social responsibility programs,” he pointed out.

* Original article here.

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Time: Saturday, August 20 @ 7:00am – 10:00am
Location: Assembly at Phoenix Gas Station, Molino road Corner Daang Hari, Bacoor, Cavite

We are inviting you all to the launching of Bacoor Bike lane along Daang Hari, Bacoor, Cavite. The bike lane will start at Phoenix Molino Gas Station up to Verdana.

This bike lane will serve as an awareness that the Municipality of Bacoor is a bike-friendly place which treats the biking community with the same courtesy and safety that it offers to all road users. This is the first municipality in Cavite to implement a bike lane, a project that is worth undertaking.

When: August 20, 2011
Time: 7:00am
Where: Phoenix Gas Station, Molino road Corner Daang Hari, Bacoor, Cavite (assembly area)
Parade Route: Phoenix Gas Station up to Verdana along Daanghari

A project of Municipality of Bacoor supported by Phoenix Gas Station, Grantrail Cycles, and CAMBIO.

For the Facebook event page, click here.

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* Original article here.

Manila, Philippines – The Prima Cycling Team, representing the Philippines, pocketed two gold medals and one silver medal in the recent 2011 Singapore National Open Cycling Championship at the Kent Ridge Park in Singapore.

The father-and-son tandem of former Philippine downhill team coach Frederick Farr and rising junior cyclist John Derrick Farr outraced all foreign riders in their respective divisions in downhill event to capture a gold medal each.

Copyright: Chucky Marcelo

Frederick Farr, 39,timed in 1:09.670 in the Downhill Masters 35-above category to outclass Singapore’s Mohd Fahmie Senen (1:11.080) and Arnold Lacorte of Philippines (1:13.163).

“This is my first time to compete in an international race so it is really unforgettable to win a gold there as an athlete,” said the older Farr, who thanked Alex Lim and Prima Pasta for supporting their campaign during the competition.

The 14-year-old Farr captured the gold in the downhill junior 14-19 class in 1:04.333 time to beat Singaporean riders Harold Foo (1:06.269) and Shadumi Anaqui (1:09.948).

Alex Lim, the benefactor of the Prima Cycling squad, thanked Prima Pasta, Isuzu, South Cycle Bikeshop, TM Olegario Construction, Lou Laforteza, Lightwater, Panaracer Tires and Nema for their all-out support.

John Michael Mapacpac finished second in the cross country sports 19-to-34-year-old class in 51.19 for the silver medal behind gold medal winner Jordan Ross Aveyard of Great Britain (45.28).

Alvin Timbol, the other Prima rider, ended sixth in 1:18.328 in the Downhill Masters 35-year-old category.

“I’m so proud of them. I just told them to compete for our country and then they went home with two gold medals and a silver medal,” said Lim, who also supports other sports like bowling and badminton.

* Original article here.

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* Original article here.

In a bid to reduce air pollution, the Pasig City Council has approved an ordinance promoting biking as an environmentally sound mode of transportation.

Signed by all members of the council and Mayor Bobby Eusebio, the ordinance titled “Bicycle Transportation Promotion Ordinance of 2011” cited the need to promote nonmotorized transportation and also laid down the mechanisms, incentives and penalties for violators.

It was authored by Councilor Augustin Alexee Santiago.

“[An estimated] 60 percent of the air pollution in Pasig City comes from smoke-belching vehicles. The ever-increasing number of vehicles on the road has contributed immensely to the worsening of the air quality in the Philippines, particularly in Metro Manila,” the ordinance said.

It called for the designation of exclusive lanes for bike riders on major streets based on the Bike Map Guide developed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Bikers must use protective gear and rear lighting at night to avoid being penalized. Those caught without the required gear would be given a citation ticket on the first offense and pay a fine of P150.

Second-time offenders face a fine of P300.

Should they be caught without a rear light, they will be fined P200 (first offense), P350 (second) and P500 (third).

On the other hand, motorists obstructing the bike lanes will be asked to pay a fine ranging from P200 to P500.

Business establishments who fail to provide bicycle parking racks will also be penalized, with fines ranging up to P5,000.

To ensure the safety of bikers on alleys and narrow streets, the city government will set up bike patrols to monitor and patrol bike lanes.

* Original article here.

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Congratulations to my fellow Team Prima/Isuzu/South Cycle teammates for dominating the XC (cross-country) and DH (downhill) categories at the Singapore National Cycling Championships held last weekend, July 3, 2011, at Kent Ridge Bike Park, Singapore.

(Video & link to Facebook album by team captain Chucky below)

Team Prima results are as follows:

• JM Mapacpac: Silver! XC 19-34
• Eboy Farr: Gold! Men’s DH Masters
• Jerich Farr: Gold! Men’s DH Juniors
• Alvin Timbol: 6th place! Men’s DH Masters

We’d like to say thanks to our team sponsors for the continuous support:

Below is the video (Facebook album here.):

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From CyclingNews.com. By: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor. Published: May 19, 21:24. Updated: May 20, 00:44. Race: MTB World Cup Downhill #1 & Four Cross #2, Elite men downhill

World Cup downhill leader’s Carbon Nomad taken in California

World Cup Downhill Leader Greg Minnaar’s bike was stolen just days after he won the opening World Cup round in Maribor, Slovenia.

The South African’s Santa Cruz Carbon Nomad, with the team’s unique Syndicate paint job and Edge Carbon wheels, was last seen near Saratoga, California. It was stolen on Tuesday, May 18.

Read complete article on CyclingNews.com

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Here is the recorded interview of Maritess Bitbit about what happened on why she didn’t compete in the 25th Laos Southeast Asian Games.

Reference post/article here and here.

Listen to the audio here:

And to the selfish officials who should be called Judas, with all your selfish politicking and shit — not concerning yourselves with the well-being of our country’s athletes, here’s something for you:

A big (click here)!

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Taken from Philmofo.org:

The international cycling federation yesterday rejected with finality an appeal by the Southeast Asian Games Federation Council to allow the Filipinos to compete in the cycling competitions – a move expected to reverberate beyond the 25th Southeast Asian Games here.

In a letter to Lao Olympic Committee vice-president Kasem Inthara, UCI president Pat McQuaid reiterated the UCI stand recognizing the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) and its president, Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

The letter effectively ruled out the participation of the 13 Filipino cyclists who were not granted valid licenses to compete in the SEA Games. The cycling competitions start today with the men’s downhill event outside the city limits.

Only Maritess Bitbit, the 2007 SEAG gold medalist, will be allowed to participate since she carries a license issued by the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling).

McQuaid said Tolentino is the legitimate president of the cycling federation in the Philippines and has the sole authority to issue licenses to Filipino riders competing in UCI-sanctioned tournaments like the SEA Games.

“In the present situation, PhilCycling (Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines) is recognized to be the national federation in the Philippines,” McQuaid said. “Consequently, the UCI does not recognize the riders who hold another license than the one delivered by PhilCycling.”

The 13 cyclists were all sent here by the Philippine Olympic Committee, with POC sports and rules chairman Go Teng Kok standing as the team’s chief sponsor. They went through a selection process under Mikee Romero, who spent P5 million of his personal funds for the national trials, uniforms and preparations of the team for the SEA Games.

“I did it for the love of the sport and for my country,” said Romero.

However, reports have circulated around that the SEA Games may yet allow the team to compete without UCI sanction. Such a defiance, however, would worsen the situation as the cyclists, including their leaders, could face the risk of getting stiffer sanctions from the UCI, such as a ban from competing or holding international competitions.

Go said everything is set and the 13 Filipino riders will compete with or without UCI licenses.

Go was meeting with the 11-man council as of press time.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), however, blasted the POC’s decision to send the team despite knowing that the national riders would be barred from competing by the world-governing federation.

The cycling group was not part of the 153 athletes funded by the PSC.

“This was a lost opportunity for the country,” PSC chairman Harry Angping said.

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