#IloiloBikeCapitalPH News

Megaworld and Iloilo Bikefest had become synonymous

March 11, 2021
peoplesdomain

Megaworld and Iloilo Bikefest had become synonymous!

 

 

The Iloilo Business Park of Megaworld has sustained the hosting of the annual grand ride, and most bike events, contributing in the making of Iloilo as the “Most Bike-Friendly City” in 2018 and which has moved up as the Bike Capital of the Philippines.

This year the Ilonggo bike community will once again converge in the continuously developing 72-hectare township in Mandurriao district for the much-awaited Iloilo Bike Festival after the Coronavirus disrupted the holding of its 7th edition last year. 

The thirst of bikers to assemble in spite of an ongoing pandemic will be quenched from April 9 to 11, 2021 after the Iloilo City Government announced that it will finally roll on the streets starting from the upscale business and IT center and around the city route covering a total of 10-km of Fun Ride.

The three-day event is expected to gather some 5,000 bikers from nearby towns and from the provinces in Panay and Guimaras island. 
 
 
While the annual event has attracted numerous dignitaries in previous years, the 7th edition will have one influential biking advocate as a guest – Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat who has confirmed her attendance. Bike advocates who are close to the secretary has expressed that she have been looking forward to pedal on the bike lane network of the country’s bike capital.
Iloilo Bike Festival logos
The evolving event logo of the Iloilo Bike Festival

Iloilo Bike Festival strengthened Iloilo City-Megaworld partnership 

In March 2014, Megaworld Iloilo made history as a pioneering partner of the Iloilo City Government together with various bike groups and individual bike advocates in developing the economically-booming city as #IloiloBikeCapitalPh with the launching of the first Iloilo Bike Festival.  
 
The multi-sectoral partnership extended by Megaworld Iloilo has since blossomed and it flexed the Iloilo Bike Festival as a model of strong public and private partnership, active citizenship, and as a venue for bike tourism.
 
 
Thereafter the P35-billion Iloilo Business Park has integrated infra development that support reduction of carbon footprint through a “live-work-play-learn” approach and by establishing a bike-friendly environment by installing bike lanes and bike racks within the park.
 
During the launching of the first bikefest, Jennifer Ann Palmares-Fong, Vice President for Sales and Marketing of Megaworld IBP, emphasized the “live-work-play-learn” approach underscoring that “everyone should always have time for fun and that Megaworld lifestyle is about living the good life.”
 
Bike racks at the Megaworld Iloilo
Megaworld Iloilo has installed bike racks in front of buildings for its worker bike commuters.

Megaworld and Iloilo Bikefest is synonymous 

Since then, Megaworld and Iloilo Bikefest had become synonymous with each other and a preferred venue of national and international biking events.

It hosted the second Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) in the Philippines after Bohol in September 22, 2019. 

The GFNY brought to Iloilo City around 300 to 1000 cyclists from across the Philippines and from 15 nations. The bikers witnessed Iloilo’s booming economy as exhibited by Megaworld Iloilo’s fast rising luxury residential condominiums, International brand hotels, BPO office towers, Lifestyle Mall, a 1.1-kilometer Festive Walk commercial strip, a convention center, open parks, walkable side walks, transport hub, and bike facilities. 

IloiloBikeCapitalPH-GYNY-Iloilo-2019
At the starting line of GFNY Iloilo 2019 at the Festive Walk, Iloilo Business Park, Megaworld in Mandurriao. (Photo from GFNY Philippines Facebook Page.

The Megaworld Iloilo was transformed as a bike sports hub as GFNY participants pedaled on a hot day and traversed the ridable environment that connected 14 municipalities and 2 cities for a total long-distance course of 133km with a 650 meters of climbing.

In November that same year, Megaworld Iloilo also hosted the Iloilo-leg of Bike ZEVolution, the 20th anniversary ride of the Tour of the Fireflies which highlighted driving zero emission vehicles (ZEV), to demonstrate and encourage much-needed climate action – a call consistent with the aim of Megaworld for carbon footprint reduction. 

Various bike events followed suit with the Iloilo Bike Festival as a major annual attraction.

Iloilo Bike Festival activities at Megaworld

The 7th edition of Iloilo Bike Festival is themed: “Pedal to the New Normal.” Below is the schedule of activities:   
 
Day 1 – April 9 (Friday) – Grand Fun Day
  • 10-km Grand Fun Ride (Diversion Road, 6:00-8:00 A.M, Megaworld )
  • Food Fair
  • Industrial Exhibit and Exposition
  • Porma Bisikleta Contest
  • Bike Symposium
  • Guest: Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat 
Day 2 – April 10 (Saturday) – Bike Art Day  
  • Bicycle Tour on Murals, Museums, Tourist Destinations
  • Artwork Exhibit at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA)

Day 3 – April 11 (Sunday) – Family Fun Day

Iloilo-Bikefest-posters

The various promotional posters of the Iloilo Bike Festival
 
The Iloilo Bike Festival 2021 is organized by the Iloilo City Government under the anchor of the Meetings, Investment, Convention/Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE Center). It is also supported by the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI), Dept. of Tourism (DOT) and Iloilo Business Park of Megaworld Iloilo.

Leave a Reply