Following criticism from the public, especially residents of Mandaue City and Mactan Island, the Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB) has reconsidered the move to ban bicycles on the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and Sergio Osmeña Bridge (Mandaue-Mactan Bridge).
The ban would have been part of the effort to prevent people, in a bid to end their lives, from jumping off the two bridges, which have become, for years, the favorite venues for those who commit suicide. This year alone, at least four incidents of suicide were recorded on those infrastructures.
Saying such policy is anti-poor, many see the ban will not really help solve the problem on suicide incidents along the two bridges. Even Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan appealed to the board to reconsider its move.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the chairman of the board, said the public can expect a clear cut policy on the issue: "We heard the violent reactions. Kindly, kung mo-react man, ayaw lang kaayo violent. Rest assured, if we can conduct civil conversations, those suggestions will always be considered."
In rethinking the plan, the MCBMB now wants bicycle riders to get off and walk with their bicycles on the bridge’s designated pedestrian lanes. Earlier, it decided to double the height of the railings on both sides of the two bridges.
Well, it’s good the bridge board has eventually succumbed to the strong opposition of the bicycle ban which, not only perceived by many as anti-poor, is seen as an anti-health and wellness policy by fitness buffs.
Any person out to commit suicide will use whatever means to fulfill his or her plan. Either to walk or drive a bicycle or car, he or she can always find a way to reach the middle of the bridge to jump off.
A ban on bicycle will never work in the campaign to end suicide attempts on the two bridges. One of the means we see as very effective against attempts to commit suicide is the deployment of policemen and barangay tanods who will escort whose who walk and bike through those bridges.