Pedestrianization of downtown Cebu

Pedestrianization is a strange term to many in the sense that we seldom use it or even read it in the myriads of texts we go through every day. Maybe because it seems incongruent with what we assume as the natural order of things in transport, especially in our everyday experience. In our fast-paced society, which seems to grow even faster, speed is good and desirable. So, who wants to walk? Or rather, “…walk more than necessary?” Maybe only the health buffs and those ordered by their physicians to do so.

Maybe we simply ignore it, but walking is actually part of our daily trips. Come to think of it, no daily trip seems ever made without a walking part, especially at the beginning and at the end. We just forget about it and count the private car or public transport rides as “the trip,” and see walking as a necessary intervention between them. But walking is part of all trips and should be considered as “transport” however weird that might sound to some. We need to remember that before cars and other “vehicles” were invented, walking was our main way of transport from place to place.

When I first lived in Cebu City during my college days in the late ‘70’s/early ‘80’s, walking in downtown Cebu was a usual activity. In those days before the SM and Ayala malls, Colon Street was the main commercial area --the place where everything happens, and where most jeepneys pass through. Well, Manalili Street was too, to a lesser degree, as some jeepney routes from the north pass through there. Almost all PUJ routes pass through Colon, but it is where we go down and walk, too --often with a purpose but sometimes without. For us students, it was a pastime then. I used to walk the entire length every time I visited, though sometimes I just passed through. This was the time when jeepney fares were ?0.25 per ride and they allowed us to ride from CIT to Mambaling but on the way to Colon first before going back to the South --sort of joyriding but paying a single fare. But oftentimes, we get off at Colon and walk and pass the time.

We seldom or don’t do that now, especially after SM and Ayala malls came into the picture. It was actually sad that we seemed to neglect the downtown areas when malls mushroomed as it seemed better to just walk around in air-conditioned hallways. The former busyness of Colon did thin out to mainly students who study in the universities and schools located in the area and those who purposely go and transact business with the few public and commercial establishments left there. Many just pass through on their private cars, taxis, or public vehicles from various parts of the city. But not walk through as before. I think the walking environment matters. Why is it we enjoy walking in Singapore? Because it’s fun and pleasant to walk in Singapore. I think we can do the same for downtown Cebu.

The key is pedestrianization. People walk when it’s enjoyable to walk. We can do that for downtown Cebu, and we should.