Roxas Boulevard will be car-free on Sundays beginning May 26
Parts of Roxas Boulevard will be closed to motorists on Sundays, starting May 26.
This comes after Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna signed Ordinance No. 9074, or the Move Manila Program, to provide residents and visitors a wider space for walking, jogging, cycling, running, and other forms of exercise.
"Ang pagpapatupad [ng car-free Sundays] sa Roxas Boulevard ay magbibigay ng panibagong pananaw sa nakasanayan nating pangunahing kalsadang punong-puno ng mga sasakyan," Lacuna wrote on Facebook on May 13.
In addition to the health benefits, the ordinance also hopes to lessen pollution along the Manila road.
Under the new city ordinance, north and sounthbound roads of Roxas Boulevard—from Padre Burgos Circle to Quirino Avenue—will be closed to vehicles from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sundays. In this area, residents and visitors can do physical activities.
The Metro Manila Development Authority has advised motorists about other roads to take on Sundays, including Quirino Avenue, Padre Burgos Avenue, Taft Avenue, Kalaw Avenue, Maria Orosa street, Bonifacio Drive, and M. H. del Pilar street. It also set up signages along the off-limits road to alert motorists.
In addition, Roxas Boulevard will also have medical emergency first responders and hydration stations deployed on Sundays for the public.
Other main roads in Metro Manila have been made car-free on Sundays like Ayala Avenue in 2023. One of Makati's busiest roads was made off-limits to motorists from September to December from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
This was also done to encourage healthier lifestyles for Filipinos and mitigate pollution in the city.