Nothing Fancy
Going around Manila is not for the faint of heart. It requires a good deal of street smarts, a working knowledge of the city’s winding streets, and the patience to deal with getting lost, over and over again.
Going around Manila is a get-lost kind of adventure, but does it have to be so confusing everyday? Intercity transportation shouldn’t be all that difficult: going from point A to point B shouldn’t have to last hours (unless it’s very far), nor should it involve having to memorize which of the three KFC branches you should find the tricycle station. The Metro Manila transportation system relies heavily on landmarks—which, unfortunately, can be in a constant state of flux.
I personally enjoy the wandering and exploring that Manila requires. I like discovering quaint alleys and small, tightly knit communities lurking in the backstreets. I like the idea of finding myself in a new adventure everyday.
Before anyone points out that Manila is chaotic, the traffic is terrible, and I clearly do not know what I am talking about, let me explain: I don’t do this on a daily basis, I rarely commute.
If I were a frequent commuter though, I might be singing a different tune.
A more efficient transport system might be in the works though. Just last May, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) unveiled plans to adapt the Korean transport system of using prepaid cards for cashless commutes. With the Smartcard system, passengers would only need to reload their transport cards, which would be usable in buses and the Light Rail Transport and Metrostar Railway Transport.
I’ve only recently experienced such a system during my two-week journalism internship in the Netherlands. Aside from the people (very tall) and the weather (extremely cold), what struck me as distinctive was the efficient transport system around the country. The entire country was reachable by train, which came and went as advertised on the train schedule—not a minute too late.
MMDA’s plan is a welcome change to the confusing transport system we currently have. The problem, however, is that it is addressing only the convenience and financial aspect of commuting. The bigger and more important problem is actually re-organizing the routes, properly implementing traffic rules, and maintaining control over the number of public utility vehicles plying the routes. MMDA’s plans are needed, but not right now. To fully implement and efficiently implement this audacious plan, the physical structures must first be put into place. MMDA seems to be putting the lowest priority changes up the implementation ladder.
What’s the use of cashless commutes when you still need to endure long hours of traffic and a labyrinthine metropolis? MMDA’s got the idea right, but the plan in the wrong order. So much has been wasted on the minor details – putting up urinals, painting the city pink, and drawing pink demarcation lines on the sidewalks (that no one follows anyway, and are highly ridiculous when they’re already right at the threshold of houses and establishments). No one has dared to tackle the bigger problem, and the waiting game is costing this country and its citizens a lot.
