Biking to Work? You Can Freshen Up for Free at MMDA's Shower Rooms Near Ortigas

(SPOT.ph) People who bike to work know all too well that the ride is only half the journey; the other half is figuring out how to show up at the office looking presentable. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is opening a small facility meant to solve that problem—at least for commuters passing through Ortigas.

The new facility has eight shower cubicles with water heaters, along with racks where cyclists can hang their towels, clothes, and even their helmets while bathing. Use of the facility is free. Just note that you’ll have to bring your own toiletries, including soap and shampoo.

The shower rooms will be open to the public starting March 17 at the MMDA Motorcycle Riding Academy along Meralco Avenue corner Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City.

It might also be a timely reminder to give biking a shot—especially now that fuel prices have jumped by as much as P17 to P24 per liter at gas stations this week amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Beyond cyclists, the shower rooms are also meant for walkers who commute to work and need a place to freshen up before heading to the office.

Also read: Taking a Shower (and a Comfortable Dump) Is Now a Thing at the PITX

MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III said the project is part of the agency’s push to support bike-to-work commuters and active mobility in Metro Manila. Earlier this year, Torre led a bike-to-work ride to government offices in Taguig, where he encouraged employees who live within about a 20-kilometer radius of their workplace—including those coming from Pasig, Mandaluyong, Makati, and nearby cities—to consider cycling as a daily commute.

“We hope that this small initiative can serve as an example for other offices and institutions to also provide end-of-trip facilities for active mobility users,” Torre said in a post.

The shower rooms come as cycling infrastructure has slowly expanded across Metro Manila in recent years. Back in 2020, the national government allocated funding for protected bike lanes as more people turned to bicycles during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) rolled out the Metro Manila Bike Lane Network, a 313-kilometer system covering 67 roads in 12 cities.

Beyond the capital, the government has also set a nationwide target of about 2,400 kilometers of bike lanes by 2028 under its active transport program, with projects planned in other major urban centers such as Cebu and Davao.

Also read: DOTr Wants 2,400 Kilometers of Bike Lanes by 2028