SWS: Cycling households drop to 26%

The number of Filipino households with at least one member who rides a bicycle has declined to 26 percent in 2026 from a peak of 36 percent three years ago, with improving health and transportation now emerging as the leading reasons for cycling, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey published on Friday showed.

The 20 to 29 June survey estimated that 7.3 million households nationwide were engaged in cycling, down from 10 million in March 2023 and 7.7 million in March 2024.

Despite the decline, bicycle ownership remained widespread, with 6.5 million households, or 23 percent, owning at least one bicycle as of June 2026. This was higher than the 4.4 million recorded in March 2024, although slightly below the 6.6 million in March 2023.

The ratio of bicycle-owning households to car-owning households reached 5:1, the highest in the survey’s 26-round series dating back to May 2020.

SWS also found that improving health was the leading reason for cycling, cited by 35 percent of adults from cycling households, followed by transportation, work and livelihood at 32 percent.

The findings marked a shift from March 2024, when recreation or play was the leading reason at 49 percent, followed by saving on fares and transportation, work or livelihood, both at 27 percent.

The share of households cycling for recreational activities also declined to 19 percent, or an estimated 5.3 million, from 27 percent, or 7.5 million, in March 2023.

Meanwhile, cycling for essential activities, including grocery shopping, commuting and livelihood, fell to 17 percent, or 4.9 million households, from 24 percent, or 6.7 million, in March 2023.

Among essential activities, market, grocery and store trips remained the most common, cited by 11 percent of households. Another 7 percent used bicycles to travel to and from work, while 4 percent cycled for work or livelihood.

Lack of access to bicycles remained the biggest obstacle to cycling, cited by 53 percent of non-cycling households, or an estimated 11 million. Other reasons included having alternative transportation (10 percent), lacking the skills to ride (9 percent) and fear of accidents (8 percent).

The survey also found that 73 percent of respondents believed more people would use bicycles for transportation if roads were safer, while 64 percent agreed that cycling was as effective as other forms of transportation.

Despite the strong public support for safer cycling conditions, agreement that bicycles were as effective as other transportation modes was lower than the 75 percent recorded in April 2022.