BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Before the Philippines was conquered by the Spaniards, Marikina used to be occupied by river-
dwellers or the taga-ilog who lived along the banks of the waterway crossing the Marikina
Valley. The fertile soil and the river inhabited with bountiful fishes provided the dwellers with
their everyday food.
Furthermore, a tale about a rich, beautiful, and kind young lady named Maria Quina and a story
about a worker calling the church being built marikit-na meaning beautiful now, gave rise to
the name Marikina. Nobody knows which among the aforementioned legends about Marikinas
name origin is truth and factual. But this is what the residents believe in.

The rise of Marikina in the 20
th
century paved its way when it was considered as one of the most
livable and industrialized city in the Philippines. Shoe manufacturing became its foremost
industry and the citys pride which earned them the title Shoe Capital of the Philippines.

Over the years, Marikina has been able to create a new identity due to its good urban
management. It was able to transform itself to a new and urbanized city. They started to
implement discipline and orderliness in both the environment and the community. They
rehabilitated its dying river and developed it to become a tourist destination. They improved on
their landscape and infrastructures, making it conducive for dwelling. Culture is continually
preserved, paving the way to more culture-oriented activities and projects for the people.
Marikina City Bikeways Office (MCBO) Officer-in-Charge Engr. Gabriel Eusebio, said the Bike
Fair 2013 does not only promote biking but also boosts the city's tourism as Marikina is a perfect
place for biking with its interconnected bike lanes and a very suitable topography.
He added that all kinds of bikes, bike parts, accessories and apparel are available in the Bike Fair
2013 which are sold with special discounts and cheaper prices compared to other leading bike
shops.
"Bike enthusiasts from all over the country do not only visit Marikina for its well-organized 60-
kilometer bike lanes and diverse terrain types. Even after the four-day Bike Fair, bikers can still
buy affordable bikes, parts, and accessories as lots bike shops are found in the city," Eusebio
said.
Participating shops in the said bike fair include John Wilkie Bike Shop, G5 Bike Shop, Jermay
Bike Shop, Tribe Cycle Bike Shop, PEPE's Apparel/Accessories, Cornet Cycle Bike Shop, Dan's
Bike Shop, and Bike 101 Bike Shop.
Eusebio, at the same time, encourage those who want to learn how to bike to join MCBO's free
four-session Bike Clinic held in all Saturdays of each month. The clinic, he said, covers
workshops on bicycle appreciation as alternative transport, bicycle handling, how to ride the
bicycle, and orientation on traffic rules and regulations.
Eusebio said the Bike Fair 2013. which is part of the celebration of Marikina's 383rd Founding
Anniversary this week, also aims to provide easy access to bike enthusiasts to all their bike
needs.