‘… very few cities come close to Manila (Metro Manila actually) and the way commuting has become like a cross carried on one’s shoulder day in and day out, as if a punishment for the sins of our ancestors.’
A FEW days ago, I did what I haven’t done in a very long time — I drove from BGC (the artificial cocoon where I live and work) down EDSA towards the Ortigas Center where I met up with some acquaintances. The drive at 5:30 p.m. took me almost one whole hour, covering a distance of about six kilometers.
Of course, to get to Ortigas from BGC, I passed what I call the “national vehicular artery,” or EDSA, and marveled how over the years we have been able to transform what used to be a two-lane asphalted road called “Highway 54” into a six to eight lane artery that is often blocked and needing drastic angioplasty in many places.
And, mind you, this is still the time of COVID, and it isn’t the Christmas rush yet.
While I was sitting behind the wheel in my vehicle staring at the unmoving brake lights of the car ahead of me, I espied one of the EDSA MRT trains heading from south to north, six (if I am not mistaken) cars long but relatively empty. Which was a surprise for me given that it was rush hour and it was a workday.
Where have all the MRT commuters gone?
I’ve always been in awe of cities that have been able to put in place an excellent network of public transport, allowing the riding public to get from point A to point Z fairly easily via a varied choice of means: bus, mini buses, overhead MRTs or underground subways. One such is Singapore and who needs to explain why Singapore is a model? Another is Hong Kong and, of course, there’s Bangkok and even KL, too. Across the Pacific I’ve always admired Atlanta which made sure its MARTA train and bus network was in place for the Olympic Games in 1996; San Francisco and Boston are not too far behind. And, of course, there’s the one and only New York.
But very few cities come close to Manila (Metro Manila actually) and the way commuting has become like a cross carried on one’s shoulder day in and day out, as if a punishment for the sins of our ancestors. Images of long queues as the stations of the MRT are now stuck on the psyche of so many Filipinos who have accepted it as plain “that’s how life is in the Philippines so suck it up and plunge ahead.”
Even high-profile attempts by national government officials to try to understand the plight of the commuter by taking an MRT (in the case of Sen. Grace Poe) or a series of jeepney rides (in the case of Atty. Sal Panelo) have hardly moved the needle.
Think about it: if they couldn’t move the needle on traffic and commuting issues, who could?
My answer? Until someone comes along who truly cares enough — to act.
