According to Google Maps, it should take less than 15 minutes to get from Xavierville Avenue to Ateneo de Manila University. In reality, unfortunately, that is not the case, as it can take almost an hour just to reach the university’s gates.

As if the traffic outside the Ateneo is not enough, when one enters the campus, particularly when grade school and high school students are being brought to or fetched from school, drivers are met with bumper-to-bumper traffic along the Ateneo’s narrow roads.

It seems that Katipunan traffic gets progressively worse. The construction and renovation of several sites on and near campus and the re-routing of vehicles have made traveling difficult for both vehicle users and pedestrians. For instance, most recently, Fabian Dela Rosa Street was made a one-way street to give way to a construction concerning the creek. A frequently used street, the construction only contributes to the congestion on the main road.

Traffic in Katipunan is just a snapshot of a bigger picture. It is a symptom of the glaring and complex problems Metro Manila faces with its transportation system.

The most noticeable problem is that there are just too many vehicles on the road. This is said to be the result of an increased purchase of vehicles in the past years, as stated in an article by Rappler, due to increased purchasing power of consumers and greater affordability of these vehicles, particularly for private use.

While not the cheapest mode of transportation, given the current situation, traveling by private car is viewed to be the safest, most comfortable, and above all, most convenient way to get around Metro Manila. Hence, to avoid the long lines and constant breakdowns of the Metro Rail Transit System, the possibility of harassment in a taxi, or the safety hazard of riding a bicycle, it would seem that for those who can afford it, buying a private car would be the better option. Unfortunately, this worsens road congestion all the more and makes getting from one place to another more difficult and time-consuming.

However, transportation problems do not merely involve heavy traffic and congestion along major roads and highways. These stem from issues not even related to transportation itself.

For example, the rise of commercial establishments and residences not only in Katipunan Avenue but also in the metro contribute to the increase in traffic. Some of these buildings were even constructed despite laws requiring certain permits and other necessary procedures and without proper coordination. An example close to home is the building of the SMDC Blue Residences. Back in 2011, the construction of the condominium was met with much opposition from the Loyola Heights community, as it violated the traffic generation and height regulation sections of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. According to an article written by The GUIDON in 2011, while SMDC had lobbied for zoning exemption, the manner in which it was processed was alleged to have been problematic.

Four years later, Blue Residences stands, fully constructed with a number of its units already occupied by tenants.

While building such establishments is good for business, economic activity and housing needs, the traffic that these establishments cause can also ruin economic productivity with the amount of money and resources spent on vehicles that are on the road for prolonged periods of time, the delays of deliveries and services, and the less time and energy people have to work due to spending so much of it on the commute.

Indeed, the problem of transportation does not occur in a vacuum. Beyond how we get from one place to another, it affects us in so many ways: From something as large-scale as loss in billions of pesos due to decreased productivity to something as small-scale as how much less time a working mother gets to spend with her child due to spending so much time stuck in traffic.

The problem of transportation is not just the problem of the Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Transportations and Communications, and Land Transportation Office. It is also the problem of the business sector, educational institutions, and local government units. It is everyone’s problem.

Such a multi-faceted issue requires a multi-faceted solution, one that is holistic and cuts across multiple disciplines. Institutions and organizations should coordinate with each other to address these issues. For instance, businesses and development corporations and local government units should communicate better with each other and come up with decisions by consensus that are best not only for them but for the people they serve. Better yet, interdisciplinary organizations should be created to act as middlemen and help facilitate coming up with policies and solutions to address these problems in a unified and organized way.

But it’s not just up to government agencies, institutions, or private corporations to solve the problem. We must also do our part—whether it’s following traffic rules, engaging in proper discourse about these matters, or pushing for these government and other relevant organizations to use their power and resources to improve the situation.

After all, it is no longer just about the additional 30 or more minutes it takes to get from Xavierville to the Ateneo or the struggle of getting to class on time.

It is about the metro-wide issue which manifests in the sardine-like volume of trains during rush hour, the eight-hour standstills near the airport, and the struggle of getting a taxi (with a driver who will consent to driving you to your destination).

It is about doing something to address these problems—ensuring that every citizen of Metro Manila is able to commute without the unnecessary inconveniences caused by specific modes of transportation or traffic situations beyond their control.

It is about being able to get to where we all need to be.