BY ALEXA BASA
Broadcaster and volleyball star Gretchen Ho expressed her gratitude for the development of a bike community in Quezon City where she lives.
“Pangarap lang namin dati ng @specializedqc to have a bike community here,” Gretchen wrote on her Instagram. “As a resident of QC all my life, (I’m) very proud to attest to the developments in our city.”
She shared that the bike lanes in Quezon City are now over 93 kilometers, with 90 newly-hired patrollers under the Green Transport Office. Bikers United Movement also partnered with the project “to improve bike initiatives in the city.”
Gretchen said that all of these achievements only formed part of the the first phase.
Businessman Manny Pangilinan and his MVP group of foundations donated 60 bicycles, 15 smartphones and 15 pocket WI-FI units to give more livelihood opportunities to COVID-19 pandemic victims in the city. Gretchen also said they had a Smart booth to teach beneficiaries how to use the phones to sell loads.
The MVP Group partnered with Gretchen’s Donate A Bike, Save A Job campaign, which she launched in 2020. In June, the group of companies donated 500 bicycles as part of its Bike for Livelihood project.
Starting with 50 bicycles when she launched her campaign via social media, Gretchen has since donated more than 1,000 bikes to workers affected by the pandemic in 10 Metro Manila cities, as well as flood victims in Naga and Cagayan.
She thanked the Quezon City government for pushing the bicycle initiatives in the city.
“Thank you to the team of Councilor Mikey Belmonte for helping us identify recipients, alam ko nagbaranggay-baranggay pa sila. Great job also to Mayor Joy Belmonte & Vice Mayor Gian Sotto for pushing (bike) initiatives in the city,” Gretchen said.
She continued: “When public sector + private sector + NGOs work together towards common goals, we can achieve much. Let’s keep on!”
