Ever imagined how it would be like to live within a state that's worried about the plot lines of some prime time show? If you're from the Philippines, your imagination won't be too taxed as it seems that's where we are now.
The Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine National Police under it, has recently called into question the plot lines of beloved prime time show "Ang Probinsyano".
I for one am not a fan of the show. I often question my mom about her fondness of it. But nonetheless, I've grown to accept that the show is a nightly routine for hers. The lame fight scenes, overly dramatic sudden close ups as the characters stare at each other, the incessant smiling and proselytizing of how goodness and badness are this and that and all that moralistic crap are there to stay on her schedule.
But if there is one good thing I can say about Ang Probinsyano, it's that it reminds me of the 90's action films that still remain tenants in my heart.
Showing posts with label pinoy life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pinoy life. Show all posts
Monday, November 19, 2018
Saturday, June 11, 2016
A Fat Commuter in the Philippines
Hi, my name is Aaron and I am fat or obese or whatever. I am 6'1'' tall and I weigh in at around 300 lbs. I am completely comfortable with my body regardless of the considerable mass and volume it may have. Sure, I do try to exercise through basketball and other things to improve my health. But my life expectancy is the only real driver for any attempt to get slim.
Unfortunately for me, my body's aesthetics always seem to be a cause for concern for others;I get teased by kids whenever I pass by streets in places I don't usually visit, my parents' friends always see me as "those two's fat son" and I'm sure looks have been thrown my way without me noticing them. But none of these things bother me. It may bother somebody else. But I see myself in too high regard to be bothered. But in the case of something like commuting, I can't help but be pissed off.
For my entire life, I've been a commuter. I know how to drive. But the gas prices and the damned toll prices from Alabang going north can really keep the car in the garage. And for my daily commute, I have to ride a bus, a jeepney and a tricycle. And of all of these, the bus has been the least discriminatory against me.
I've never experienced discrimination in a bus. Maybe it's because I always find a way to fit myself and two others on the seats on the driver's side. And the number of passenger always keeps the conductor preoccupied leaving no time to give a remark about me or any other passenger.
As for jeepneys, the barker and the driver sometimes insist I sit in front. I don't know why. But I always oblige. I always sit after another person sits next to the driver so that at least only one knee would be forced to suffer the pain of being squeezed onto the metal fabrication of the vehicle. This rarely happens. And letting it slide has always been my course of action.
Unfortunately for me, my body's aesthetics always seem to be a cause for concern for others;I get teased by kids whenever I pass by streets in places I don't usually visit, my parents' friends always see me as "those two's fat son" and I'm sure looks have been thrown my way without me noticing them. But none of these things bother me. It may bother somebody else. But I see myself in too high regard to be bothered. But in the case of something like commuting, I can't help but be pissed off.
For my entire life, I've been a commuter. I know how to drive. But the gas prices and the damned toll prices from Alabang going north can really keep the car in the garage. And for my daily commute, I have to ride a bus, a jeepney and a tricycle. And of all of these, the bus has been the least discriminatory against me.
I've never experienced discrimination in a bus. Maybe it's because I always find a way to fit myself and two others on the seats on the driver's side. And the number of passenger always keeps the conductor preoccupied leaving no time to give a remark about me or any other passenger.
As for jeepneys, the barker and the driver sometimes insist I sit in front. I don't know why. But I always oblige. I always sit after another person sits next to the driver so that at least only one knee would be forced to suffer the pain of being squeezed onto the metal fabrication of the vehicle. This rarely happens. And letting it slide has always been my course of action.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Politics and Speaking Ill of the Dead
As Filipinos, we grew up doing or not doing certain things whenever certain situations come up. We don't sweep the floor at night. We have our girls jump from the third step of a staircase during their first menstrual cycle. Following certain traditions or customs doesn't really need the backing of logic. I mean, what do we have to lose by following these simple things? What do we have to lose whenever we say "tabi-tabi po" while we walk around an old tree? What do we have to lose whenever we grab our babies and pass them above the coffin in a wake? These things are simple. They give people assurance in some weird way and at the same time, it shows our culture and our history.
But sometimes, doing what is expected/accepted by society can bring about negative effects. During the New Year, for example, we are expected to spend thousands of pesos on firecrackers that can end up hurting us. Just like the social norms stated above, there's no logic behind it. But it's our culture. It somehow drives away evil spirits. And who am I to say how people should spend their hard-earned money? People follow this particular tradition or act because there is a trade-off. Besides driving away evil spirits, exploding triangles and beautiful lights make people happy. And the pollution and health effects are taken into consideration by the government when they decided to legalize the practice and set standards on the products... well that's what I hope.
Existing social norms are either inconsequential to the nation or, just like the case of using firecrackers, regulated/tolerated only to a certain extent. Note: These are my own personal classifications.
Now, the aforementioned classifications may seem crude. But social norms need to be classified by society and even individuals correctly to determine the things we should do away with entirely, the things we embrace and the things we control.
Looking at our society and individuals I come in contact with, one particular social norm is fully embraced without us realizing our accepting nature towards it and its effects on a national level. If you haven't read the title of this post, I'm talking about not speaking ill of the dead.
I'm confident most of us here were taught never to speak ill of the dead. We are told to keep our mouths shut when our abusive drunk uncle or perverted cousin die. It doesn't matter how they lived their lives. We should not judge them for they don't have the means to defend themselves.We should just let God do the judging. Plus, there's no point in upseting the loved ones. What do we have to lose when we keep our mouths shut when that person dies? Nothing right?
But what if the person who died was a government official instead of a random cousin and was corrupt instead of being perverted? What do we have to lose when we keep our mouths shut? Potentially, a lot.
A few days ago, ex-LTO chief Virginia Torres died. She was the LTO chief who got canned because she was the subject of a viral video showing her gambling in a casino. Personally, I had no problem with her gambling as long as it's her own money. But hey, memorandum circulars have to be followed even if they seem hypocritical.
Now, the fact that Torres already got fired already closes that case for me. But aside from that, another issue lingers over her name.
Torres is also embroiled in a controversy involving sugar smuggling. She allegedly used her contacts and dropped President Aquino's name in an attempt to get a shipment of smuggled sugar released so the money to be earned from the sales could be used for the upcoming elections. Unfortunately for her, she left empty-handed.
The fact that she left empty-handed is why keeping my mouth shut is the best course of action. What's the point of speaking? If we somehow prove she did use the president's name and tried to get smuggled sugar out of the BoC, that would only destroy her name and it would've cost us a ton of money. Clearly, shutting up and refraining from calling her something bad is for the best.
Unfortunately, sometimes officials don't get away empty-handed.
I'm sure we all know about Ferdinand Marcos so I won't go into detail with him. He is one of the few deceased politicians we never fail to talk about. He is either loved or despised. Cases are ongoing to retrieve the stuff he supposedly stole from the Filipino people. Sure, the case may be moving at a snail's pace. But at least, it's moving which is the most we can expect from our futile justice system.
But aside from Marcos, other individuals who have passed had their cases diluted if not completely forgotten. One such individual is Angelo Reyes. Angelo Reyes killed himself in front of his parents' grave just as the "pabaon" generals case went full swing. At first, people were ready to scrutinize Reyes of his supposed involvement in the scam. Jinggoy and Miriam were really grilling him hard. But by the time he died, people were singing his praises. He was praised to the point that he was buried in Libingan ng mga Bayani with full military honors
.
I'm not saying that Angelo Reyes was a scumbag who stole from us. I mean, the case did get dismissed by 2013. But our initial suspicion was subdued by his death. It's like we suspended our critical thinking and quickly accepted him as a great man when he died and labeled a potentially corrupt individual a hero by burying him in Libingan ng mga Bayani. In doing that, we quickly forgot that this guy could've walked away with millions of pesos. He died an innocent man. But that doesn''t mean we should quickly call him a hero and allow him to rest for all eternity in our heroes' cemetery considering what was happening at the time.
Shutting up about the dead's faults is one that needs a little more thinking than most. People tend to dismiss the act as inconsequential and critical thinking needs not be spared. But in the case of important people like public officials who are held in high esteem, social norms are no longer that weird or proper thing to which we need to adhere. It can become a practice of critical thinking.
Let's let Virgie Torres rest for now... at least until someone finds something connecting her to some sort of graft or corruption. And at the same time, let's not be so quick to let the dead get away with things they may have done when they were living like allowing Marcos to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Government officials should be tied down to accountability even after the Grim Reaper shows itself through the door. We stand to lose everything if we let mortality get in the way of accountability.
But sometimes, doing what is expected/accepted by society can bring about negative effects. During the New Year, for example, we are expected to spend thousands of pesos on firecrackers that can end up hurting us. Just like the social norms stated above, there's no logic behind it. But it's our culture. It somehow drives away evil spirits. And who am I to say how people should spend their hard-earned money? People follow this particular tradition or act because there is a trade-off. Besides driving away evil spirits, exploding triangles and beautiful lights make people happy. And the pollution and health effects are taken into consideration by the government when they decided to legalize the practice and set standards on the products... well that's what I hope.
Existing social norms are either inconsequential to the nation or, just like the case of using firecrackers, regulated/tolerated only to a certain extent. Note: These are my own personal classifications.
Now, the aforementioned classifications may seem crude. But social norms need to be classified by society and even individuals correctly to determine the things we should do away with entirely, the things we embrace and the things we control.
Looking at our society and individuals I come in contact with, one particular social norm is fully embraced without us realizing our accepting nature towards it and its effects on a national level. If you haven't read the title of this post, I'm talking about not speaking ill of the dead.
I'm confident most of us here were taught never to speak ill of the dead. We are told to keep our mouths shut when our abusive drunk uncle or perverted cousin die. It doesn't matter how they lived their lives. We should not judge them for they don't have the means to defend themselves.We should just let God do the judging. Plus, there's no point in upseting the loved ones. What do we have to lose when we keep our mouths shut when that person dies? Nothing right?But what if the person who died was a government official instead of a random cousin and was corrupt instead of being perverted? What do we have to lose when we keep our mouths shut? Potentially, a lot.
A few days ago, ex-LTO chief Virginia Torres died. She was the LTO chief who got canned because she was the subject of a viral video showing her gambling in a casino. Personally, I had no problem with her gambling as long as it's her own money. But hey, memorandum circulars have to be followed even if they seem hypocritical.
Now, the fact that Torres already got fired already closes that case for me. But aside from that, another issue lingers over her name.
Torres is also embroiled in a controversy involving sugar smuggling. She allegedly used her contacts and dropped President Aquino's name in an attempt to get a shipment of smuggled sugar released so the money to be earned from the sales could be used for the upcoming elections. Unfortunately for her, she left empty-handed.
The fact that she left empty-handed is why keeping my mouth shut is the best course of action. What's the point of speaking? If we somehow prove she did use the president's name and tried to get smuggled sugar out of the BoC, that would only destroy her name and it would've cost us a ton of money. Clearly, shutting up and refraining from calling her something bad is for the best.
Unfortunately, sometimes officials don't get away empty-handed.
I'm sure we all know about Ferdinand Marcos so I won't go into detail with him. He is one of the few deceased politicians we never fail to talk about. He is either loved or despised. Cases are ongoing to retrieve the stuff he supposedly stole from the Filipino people. Sure, the case may be moving at a snail's pace. But at least, it's moving which is the most we can expect from our futile justice system.
But aside from Marcos, other individuals who have passed had their cases diluted if not completely forgotten. One such individual is Angelo Reyes. Angelo Reyes killed himself in front of his parents' grave just as the "pabaon" generals case went full swing. At first, people were ready to scrutinize Reyes of his supposed involvement in the scam. Jinggoy and Miriam were really grilling him hard. But by the time he died, people were singing his praises. He was praised to the point that he was buried in Libingan ng mga Bayani with full military honors
.
I'm not saying that Angelo Reyes was a scumbag who stole from us. I mean, the case did get dismissed by 2013. But our initial suspicion was subdued by his death. It's like we suspended our critical thinking and quickly accepted him as a great man when he died and labeled a potentially corrupt individual a hero by burying him in Libingan ng mga Bayani. In doing that, we quickly forgot that this guy could've walked away with millions of pesos. He died an innocent man. But that doesn''t mean we should quickly call him a hero and allow him to rest for all eternity in our heroes' cemetery considering what was happening at the time.
Shutting up about the dead's faults is one that needs a little more thinking than most. People tend to dismiss the act as inconsequential and critical thinking needs not be spared. But in the case of important people like public officials who are held in high esteem, social norms are no longer that weird or proper thing to which we need to adhere. It can become a practice of critical thinking.
Let's let Virgie Torres rest for now... at least until someone finds something connecting her to some sort of graft or corruption. And at the same time, let's not be so quick to let the dead get away with things they may have done when they were living like allowing Marcos to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Government officials should be tied down to accountability even after the Grim Reaper shows itself through the door. We stand to lose everything if we let mortality get in the way of accountability.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
An Unconventional Holiday Season
Well, it certainly has been an eventful holiday season. Grace Poe is fighting an ongoing battle to legitimize her claim of being a natural born Filipino as well as a qualified presidential candidate. Ms Philippines was also able to bring home the title of Ms. Universe to the delight of millions of Filipinos. The NBA has been full of story lines from Golden State's dominance to Kobe's retirement tour. While PBA playoffs have been really exciting lately.
Whether you're a follower of everything politics or sports or beauty pageants, which should encompass most Filipinos, I'm sure you can label your holiday season as "eventful" or "exciting". As for me, it's been rather different.
For the past few holiday seasons, I just simply did my thing. My birthday falls within the season and I have multiple Christmas parties to which I usually look forward. Getting drunk and adding to my already burgeoning waistline was the norm.
This particular holiday season has been anything but normal though. Never mind that a couple of my close friends got married. It's been different because of one name: Nona.
Typhoon Nona really packed a punch. Though it did not affect us here in Laguna, it really did a number on my parents' home province of Oriental Mindoro. My relatives in Calapan live in well-built homes and were relatively safe. It's my mother's town of Victoria that really felt the power of Nona.
Typhoon Nona's winds ripped away roofs of the kubos of Victoria. It left trees bent and plants uprooted. Power lines were devastated leading to a power outage that has lasted until today, around ten days later. Crops were destroyed and animals were exposed to crippling weather. My aunt and uncles' small farm suffered quite a bit as their trees were destroyed. They lost a few ducks, chickens and a couple of piglets. Those are pretty substantial loses considering they only operate at a small scale. But then again, their luckier than most who lost all their livestock and crops not to mention a relative or two.
Typhoon Nona was really strong. It may not have been as strong as Yolanda or Sendong but it was strong nonetheless. My aunt, a former cop, relayed information that the town of Baco is withholding their true death toll which according to her reached the hundreds. The mayor of Victoria which is a distant relative apparently won't accept help from NGO's in an attempt to save face for the elections. Hopefully, she received wrong information and Baco is safe. Hopefully, my distant relatives are doing what's best for the town of Victoria even if it goes against what my family sees of that clan.
Nona has turned my family's holiday season upside down. Because of the destruction in Victoria, my aunt and two uncles there celebrated their Christmas here in Laguna. I had to help out as our helper was given the holiday off. One of my aunts came home from Vietnam and my sister came from Singapore to celebrate with us along with my other relatives here in Laguna. It was fun. It's not what we usually do for Christmas but fun nonetheless.
Today, my uncles and aunt return to Victoria as they attempt to get their lives back to the way it was. Their eight hour travel time won't come close to the journey they are going to take back to normalcy. But hey, they've done this their whole lives. We, as Filipinos, have done this our whole lives.
This may have been an unconventional holiday for me personally. But in the sense of being Filipino, what is a conventional holiday season? We got hit by Yolanda, Ruby and Sendong near the holidays. Some of us lost loved ones during the Christmas tsunamis a few years back. Remember the Rizal Day bombings? If Nona didn't hit, I'd be treating a hang over right now after a long night of drinking with my brothers and sister or my friends. But sometimes, more often here in the Philippines, the holiday season is as much about vacations, consuming or loving each other as it is just getting through life.
Happy holidays everyone
Whether you're a follower of everything politics or sports or beauty pageants, which should encompass most Filipinos, I'm sure you can label your holiday season as "eventful" or "exciting". As for me, it's been rather different.
For the past few holiday seasons, I just simply did my thing. My birthday falls within the season and I have multiple Christmas parties to which I usually look forward. Getting drunk and adding to my already burgeoning waistline was the norm.
This particular holiday season has been anything but normal though. Never mind that a couple of my close friends got married. It's been different because of one name: Nona.
Typhoon Nona really packed a punch. Though it did not affect us here in Laguna, it really did a number on my parents' home province of Oriental Mindoro. My relatives in Calapan live in well-built homes and were relatively safe. It's my mother's town of Victoria that really felt the power of Nona.
Typhoon Nona's winds ripped away roofs of the kubos of Victoria. It left trees bent and plants uprooted. Power lines were devastated leading to a power outage that has lasted until today, around ten days later. Crops were destroyed and animals were exposed to crippling weather. My aunt and uncles' small farm suffered quite a bit as their trees were destroyed. They lost a few ducks, chickens and a couple of piglets. Those are pretty substantial loses considering they only operate at a small scale. But then again, their luckier than most who lost all their livestock and crops not to mention a relative or two.
Typhoon Nona was really strong. It may not have been as strong as Yolanda or Sendong but it was strong nonetheless. My aunt, a former cop, relayed information that the town of Baco is withholding their true death toll which according to her reached the hundreds. The mayor of Victoria which is a distant relative apparently won't accept help from NGO's in an attempt to save face for the elections. Hopefully, she received wrong information and Baco is safe. Hopefully, my distant relatives are doing what's best for the town of Victoria even if it goes against what my family sees of that clan.
Nona has turned my family's holiday season upside down. Because of the destruction in Victoria, my aunt and two uncles there celebrated their Christmas here in Laguna. I had to help out as our helper was given the holiday off. One of my aunts came home from Vietnam and my sister came from Singapore to celebrate with us along with my other relatives here in Laguna. It was fun. It's not what we usually do for Christmas but fun nonetheless.
Today, my uncles and aunt return to Victoria as they attempt to get their lives back to the way it was. Their eight hour travel time won't come close to the journey they are going to take back to normalcy. But hey, they've done this their whole lives. We, as Filipinos, have done this our whole lives.
This may have been an unconventional holiday for me personally. But in the sense of being Filipino, what is a conventional holiday season? We got hit by Yolanda, Ruby and Sendong near the holidays. Some of us lost loved ones during the Christmas tsunamis a few years back. Remember the Rizal Day bombings? If Nona didn't hit, I'd be treating a hang over right now after a long night of drinking with my brothers and sister or my friends. But sometimes, more often here in the Philippines, the holiday season is as much about vacations, consuming or loving each other as it is just getting through life.
Happy holidays everyone
Monday, September 14, 2015
EDSA Traffic Solution: Buses
The traffic problem in the metro has been at the forefront of the news for quite some time now. I remember back then when news programs would only allot a few minutes of their airtime. Nowadays though, it's the first thing they talk about and the last thing they rant about.
Sure enough, these regulations ended up sucking. It's either because of lack of political will and succumbing to the interest groups immediately, enforcement stinked or the regulations were merely patch work.
Eventually, the MMDA gave up on EDSA and left us with worse bus system compared to that of what Bayani left us. But we can't blame the MMDA fully for the traffic. I mean, it's not like they have a full grip on public transport and the local governments along EDSA. That being said, there's no way in hell I'm going to praise Tolentino for doing his "best".
Now, as a dude with a keyboard, what regulation enters my mind whenever I'm stuck in a bus in EDSA?
The main problem I see in the bus system in EDSA is how insensitive the supply of buses are compared to the demand.
The government is just now seeing this.
If you are waiting for a bus in Crossing at around 6 PM on a Friday and you are heading northbound, there is no way you are sitting down. Heck, there is little chance of you actually getting on a bus. If you're going Southbound at around the same time in Ayala, it's the same thing. On the other hand, if you are waiting at around 12 PM, you have enough time to smoke or have a quick snack since the buses are flying by with empty seats.
I believe the absence of the response time of the demand is caused by a profit-driven company dispatcher. The dispatcher doesn't care if the passengers are standing. He'd actually be happier. There's no incentive for him to add any costs. He also doesn't care if the buses he is dispatching are inefficient and causing unneeded traffic. He'd rather have two half-full buses making EDSA their terminal as they jockey for more passengers than send out one bus with every seat occupied speeding pass the stops.
If we want a solution to the inefficient bus system we have, the government needs to be the one determining how many buses are plying through EDSA at a given time. It's not as if it's really difficult. I mean, they know where the buses are coming from and going to. They have traffic cameras and enforcers that can relay real-time situations. We have police/MMDA outposts everywhere that can serve as spotters/counters that can make sure the bus companies are sending out the right amount of buses. And, government is starting to really take the bus lane seriously basically guaranteeing a steady flow of buses. I don't know. It's one of those "easy" things that I think about whenever I find myself stuck in a bus; whether it be a crowded or almost empty.
With this thing I'm thinking about, traffic should be affected for the better. When it is not rush hour, the government can lessen the volume of the buses. This improves the traffic not only because of the lower volume, but also in behavioral change. With less competition, buses are less inclined to turn EDSA into a terminal or swerve since they should have more passengers in theory. And during the rush hours, the bus system can accommodate more passengers thus making it more appealing to someone who would otherwise use his car.
With this hands-on approach, some may argue that the government may be encroaching too much on a privatized sector. But if you think about it, the government would only be doing what it has already been doing in the first place. The government already controls the routes. It's the government that controls the competition already. With what I've written here, the government is just furthering its control of a vital strategic component of the state. The buses are still free to put silly advertisements on their units as they please.
I don't know. Maybe I'm oversimplifying/overthinking whenever I'm stuck in traffic. But if there is one thing I'm sure of, it's that the bus system in EDSA needs to improve.
Well, actually, Metro Manila traffic management needs to improve as a whole. There are a few things that cross my mind whenever I see the congestion of trucks in Magallanes as they head for the port area. There are also things that cross my mind when I'm in an MRT as some guy stares at the ceiling trying to avoid looking into my eyes.
Maybe I'll get to write about them. But I have to go to sleep now. I have to go to Valenzuela City from San Pedro, Laguna... and EDSA is in my way.
People in Manila just can't stop talking about traffic. I myself have ranted about traffic in the past. I ranted when the Skyway was being built when I was in college. Although I have to say that that construction has really helped alleviate traffic here in the south. I was pissed at how Bayani Fernando's enforcers constantly bugged buses for a few hundred bucks. This was a constant occurrence in Edsa-Ayala southbound. I was angry at how Tolentino's MMDA forgot about the bus lanes and their inconsistent style of management. And now, I'm still pissed at Tolentino as well as Abaya.
I've been pissed at the traffic situation in Manila ever since I went to college in 2008. It's been seven years and EDSA has remained a constant source of disappointment, hate and anger. I'm sure a lot of people can relate. And I'm sure that a lot of you readers have harbored the same emotions even longer.
As I've said, I've posted about traffic before. And since traffic in EDSA is still a hot-button topic, as well as a thorn in my side, I'm gonna talk about it again. But now, I'm gonna offer up a solution and try to justify a few believes with regards to EDSA and public transport.
This particular post will focus on the bus system. I'm a commuter. I don't know how to drive and I don't plan to learn because it doesn't fit my lifestyle. And let me also say that I'm not an expert. I'm just a dude with a keyboard.
There are three main destinations for city buses going northbound. They are Fairview/Lagro/S.Palay, UE Letre/Monumento/Karuhatan and Novaliches Bayan/Malinta. Some Novaliches buses use Mindanao Ave. and not Malinta. There are also a few buses going to SM Marilao as well as San Mateo.
For southbound city buses, they usually go to LRT Ayala/Leveriza, Pacita/Alabang/Sucat/Bicutan, FTI, Tramo/Coastal and Baclaran. There are also some suspicious buses going to Dasma in either Ayala or Ortigas.
Many people have said that there are too many buses in EDSA. One of the more prominent websites who adhere to this belief is TopGear.com.ph. Just this April, they offered up a photo that they claim proves that there is an overpopulation of buses in EDSA. Of course, this wasn't met with unanimous applause.
As a lot of the comments on the page said, this is a private vehicle owner's perspective. As a commuter, I know for a fact that during the rush hours in certain locations, it's impossible to get on a bus without having to stand up. Sometimes, it's impossible to get on a bus PERIOD.
But in agreeing with the comments, I am not saying that these buses operate in a perfect setting.
Some people have long alluded to the "boundary" system as the major cause of traffic. According to them, drivers swerve and turn EDSA into terminals because of passengers. With that going on, people find it less appealing to ride the bus. Part of me agrees with them. But I don't see the "boundary" system as the root cause of the problem.
Personally, I see the free-market system being employed in public transportation as the root of the problem. I'm not against the free market system. It's just that I always thought that the system worked better for innovation and discoveries of new technology. For example, I believe that the car manufacturing industry works best in a competitive market because manufacturers have profit as an incentive to create the best car. What does profit give incentive to in public transport? Reckless driving? Collusion? It's not like the demand for transport is elastic that a change in service would result in us actively waiting for a particular bus. People don't care if their riding a Dela Rosa Transit or a Pascua Liner. There is no point in innovating or developing technologies for these companies.
When in comes to public transport, I believe the government should heavily regulate it or simply own it.
Now, owning the transport system may not be a good idea in the Philippine setting. I mean, directly controlling the movement of millions of people leads to opportunities for corruption. And it's not like we trust the government completely. No matter how many times Noynoy Aquino shoves "Tuwid na Daan" down our throats, we still know there are a lot of hocus pocus going on in the government. Aside from that, the political will needed to attain the sector is immense.
So, I guess heavy regulation is where I am heading.
The MMDA has implemented a few prohibitive actions when it comes to the buses. Aside from the number coding scheme, they also implemented the bus segregation scheme where buses are assigned letters which would tell them where they are allowed to drop off and pick up passengers. There was also the express bus to the airport as well as the express bus plying the Fairview-Backlaran route. Of course, there's the bus lane system which to a point, some time in 2013, prohibited the buses from using all the flyovers/underpasses.
As a lot of the comments on the page said, this is a private vehicle owner's perspective. As a commuter, I know for a fact that during the rush hours in certain locations, it's impossible to get on a bus without having to stand up. Sometimes, it's impossible to get on a bus PERIOD.
But in agreeing with the comments, I am not saying that these buses operate in a perfect setting.
Some people have long alluded to the "boundary" system as the major cause of traffic. According to them, drivers swerve and turn EDSA into terminals because of passengers. With that going on, people find it less appealing to ride the bus. Part of me agrees with them. But I don't see the "boundary" system as the root cause of the problem.
Personally, I see the free-market system being employed in public transportation as the root of the problem. I'm not against the free market system. It's just that I always thought that the system worked better for innovation and discoveries of new technology. For example, I believe that the car manufacturing industry works best in a competitive market because manufacturers have profit as an incentive to create the best car. What does profit give incentive to in public transport? Reckless driving? Collusion? It's not like the demand for transport is elastic that a change in service would result in us actively waiting for a particular bus. People don't care if their riding a Dela Rosa Transit or a Pascua Liner. There is no point in innovating or developing technologies for these companies.
When in comes to public transport, I believe the government should heavily regulate it or simply own it.
Now, owning the transport system may not be a good idea in the Philippine setting. I mean, directly controlling the movement of millions of people leads to opportunities for corruption. And it's not like we trust the government completely. No matter how many times Noynoy Aquino shoves "Tuwid na Daan" down our throats, we still know there are a lot of hocus pocus going on in the government. Aside from that, the political will needed to attain the sector is immense.
So, I guess heavy regulation is where I am heading.
The MMDA has implemented a few prohibitive actions when it comes to the buses. Aside from the number coding scheme, they also implemented the bus segregation scheme where buses are assigned letters which would tell them where they are allowed to drop off and pick up passengers. There was also the express bus to the airport as well as the express bus plying the Fairview-Backlaran route. Of course, there's the bus lane system which to a point, some time in 2013, prohibited the buses from using all the flyovers/underpasses.
Sure enough, these regulations ended up sucking. It's either because of lack of political will and succumbing to the interest groups immediately, enforcement stinked or the regulations were merely patch work.
Eventually, the MMDA gave up on EDSA and left us with worse bus system compared to that of what Bayani left us. But we can't blame the MMDA fully for the traffic. I mean, it's not like they have a full grip on public transport and the local governments along EDSA. That being said, there's no way in hell I'm going to praise Tolentino for doing his "best".
Now, as a dude with a keyboard, what regulation enters my mind whenever I'm stuck in a bus in EDSA?
The main problem I see in the bus system in EDSA is how insensitive the supply of buses are compared to the demand.
The government is just now seeing this.
If you are waiting for a bus in Crossing at around 6 PM on a Friday and you are heading northbound, there is no way you are sitting down. Heck, there is little chance of you actually getting on a bus. If you're going Southbound at around the same time in Ayala, it's the same thing. On the other hand, if you are waiting at around 12 PM, you have enough time to smoke or have a quick snack since the buses are flying by with empty seats.
I believe the absence of the response time of the demand is caused by a profit-driven company dispatcher. The dispatcher doesn't care if the passengers are standing. He'd actually be happier. There's no incentive for him to add any costs. He also doesn't care if the buses he is dispatching are inefficient and causing unneeded traffic. He'd rather have two half-full buses making EDSA their terminal as they jockey for more passengers than send out one bus with every seat occupied speeding pass the stops.
If we want a solution to the inefficient bus system we have, the government needs to be the one determining how many buses are plying through EDSA at a given time. It's not as if it's really difficult. I mean, they know where the buses are coming from and going to. They have traffic cameras and enforcers that can relay real-time situations. We have police/MMDA outposts everywhere that can serve as spotters/counters that can make sure the bus companies are sending out the right amount of buses. And, government is starting to really take the bus lane seriously basically guaranteeing a steady flow of buses. I don't know. It's one of those "easy" things that I think about whenever I find myself stuck in a bus; whether it be a crowded or almost empty.
With this thing I'm thinking about, traffic should be affected for the better. When it is not rush hour, the government can lessen the volume of the buses. This improves the traffic not only because of the lower volume, but also in behavioral change. With less competition, buses are less inclined to turn EDSA into a terminal or swerve since they should have more passengers in theory. And during the rush hours, the bus system can accommodate more passengers thus making it more appealing to someone who would otherwise use his car.
With this hands-on approach, some may argue that the government may be encroaching too much on a privatized sector. But if you think about it, the government would only be doing what it has already been doing in the first place. The government already controls the routes. It's the government that controls the competition already. With what I've written here, the government is just furthering its control of a vital strategic component of the state. The buses are still free to put silly advertisements on their units as they please.
I don't know. Maybe I'm oversimplifying/overthinking whenever I'm stuck in traffic. But if there is one thing I'm sure of, it's that the bus system in EDSA needs to improve.
Well, actually, Metro Manila traffic management needs to improve as a whole. There are a few things that cross my mind whenever I see the congestion of trucks in Magallanes as they head for the port area. There are also things that cross my mind when I'm in an MRT as some guy stares at the ceiling trying to avoid looking into my eyes.
Maybe I'll get to write about them. But I have to go to sleep now. I have to go to Valenzuela City from San Pedro, Laguna... and EDSA is in my way.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Metro Manila Traffic is Just Plain Unbearable
Last week, I was invited by my college
friends to attend a concert celebrating the new school year. Back then I would
jump at this opportunity to get drunk off my ass with glee and excitement. But
lately, the traffic situation in EDSA has really reduced the enthusiasm I have
in these affairs.
I'm from south of Muntinlupa and I went to
college in Quezon City. Back in 2009, I remember getting agitated in a bus
because I was coming in late for an exam. The Skyway extension project from
Bicutan to Alabang just got started and I failed to factor it in my travel
time. Eventually, I got to that exam and was able to answer enough questions to
pass. I was saved by the Nova Bus Lines plying the route of Baclaran to
Fairview via ILALIM LAHAT.
 |
| Riding a Nova, Newman Goldline or Safeway made EDSA look like these five years ago |
That was roughly five years ago.
Traffic sucked but it was bearable with the help of a reliable MRT and a few
bus companies that would rather burn more fuel than wait for passengers.
Fast-forward to the present and that is no longer the case.
These days, it takes me 5 hours to get to
Philcoa from our bus terminal. This is the case regardless of the time of day.
A few years back it took 2 and a half hours. Nowadays, I no longer ride the MRT
because I'd rather sit down in a bus than stand in line for an hour to ride a
congested train that may breakdown any moment. All buses nowadays are not
allowed to go Ilalim in Cubao, Crossing or Ayala giving no incentive to switch
buses in Mantrade/Magallanes.You will now see private vehicles and provincial
buses in the city bus lanes. City buses on the other hand have no choice but to
get as many passengers in one trip as possible to make up for the time they
spend in traffic. They become a bit more "gahaman" nowadays. EDSA has
really made visiting my old stomping grounds look like a chore than a night of
debauchery.
I know in my case, traffic in EDSA isn't a
big deal. So I don't get to go to UP and get drunk as much. But how about the
other people who ply through EDSA daily? How about my friend who lives in
Fairview and works in Taguig? Is it ok that he has to spend 5 hours a day to go
to and from work where he already spends 9 hours? It seems more practical to be
a bed spacer in Makati than to go through that hell hole we call EDSA everyday
in his case. It's crazy how I have a point considering Taguig and Fairview
aren't as far away from each other geographically as the travel time would
suggest.
The traffic in EDSA and the whole Metropolis
for that matter has been a major source of irritation or in some case anger for
us commuters. And the way the government handles it is pretty deplorable.
Before I start ranting about how the
government sucks at traffic management, some of you may see traffic as a result
of lack of discipline. If only magbibigayan ang mga motorista, we won't have
this much traffic. And sure, you may have a point. But that reasoning
is a result of lack of authority from the ruling body. If the government gave
the people more reason to respect the traffic regulations like by being more
visible and strict, maybe drivers would be more disciplined. I mean without the
fear of getting caught, a lot people become douche bags..
Now, we have seen more CCTV camera out there.
Catching violators has become easier and the YouScoop and Bayan Mo Ipatrol mo
segments of the prime time news programs are usually packed with these stories.
But catching traffic violators is just half the battle.
The elections are coming. Recently, Mar Roxas
went to Cebu and addressed the crowd. Traffic eventually came up and according
to him. traffic just means that the economy is
booming echoing the sentiments of current President Aquino.
According to him, the reason why people missed their flights was because of an
influx in tourism. His allies appealed for more patience
and asked us to just leave earlier. Ok, sure. It's not like traffic in this
country is one of the worst in the world or anything. Oh, wait.
I'm not going to further antagonize Roxas. I mean, in GMA's version of the headline he did say that further investments in infrastructure is needed. Plus, he is with DILG and his responsibilities don't really encapsulate the traffic woes we have.
Let's look at the president. As I mentioned, Roxas only echoed Aquino's sentiments. Too bad the yahoo report with his quote won't load. Aside from his comment that I can no longer backup, there is the fact that his SONA's are not really focused on traffic. It is pretty evident if you read the last SONA. Though he did talk proudly of the Cavite Expressway and the Skyway Extension Project as he should, Be that as it may, I feel the commuter concerns are not really a priority for him. I mean, how can he applaud Jun Abaya's work on maritime concerns without reminding how inadequate he has been in dealing with the MRT? He mentioned how 2008 maintenance only covered painting. He mentioned DOTC's maintenance plans were TRO'ed by thanks to the evil corporation. Sure the MTRC is playing hardball, but how can he still be confident in Abaya? The fact of the matter is, Abaya couldn't handle his job with the MRT. Coupled with the dilapidated state of the PNR; Abaya hasn't really done much for the commuters. All Aquino did was applaud Abaya and defend him. When was the last time you were applauded by your boss when you failed to finish your paperwork? I don't know about you, but the awesomeness of my last report does not change the fact that I will get my ass handed to me if I miss my next deadline. I don't know what is it with Aquino and scolding his ineffective underlings. He bombards us with his "Daang Matuwid" slogan, yet accountability is an alien term as far as his allies are concerned.
Speaking of Aquino allies, how about the MMDA? How about Francis Tolentino? Do you remember the bus scheme that was put in place? Rappler gives us a diagram here of how it works. It's been a year now. The first few months, I noticed this. Two buses left the terminal at once and one can drop off at Ayala and the other can't. The same can be said with the rest of the stops. But for the past couple of times I went to the Metro, this is no longer being practiced. Buses will stop anywhere if you hit the metal handle bars with a coin. I guess, we can chalk this one up as a failed attempt. But an attempt nonetheless.
How about the Express Connect Bus? Remember the buses with limited drop off points from Fairview to Ayala? Well, as you can imagine, bus drivers and conductors really got the short end of that deal.
I really feel sorry for the MMDA. I mean, Tolentino tries. But he just can't help but fail. This can be attributed to the fact that the LGU's don't respect him. He may have a ton of plans that may work. But he has to compromise with several ego-driven LGU dynasties who I suspect don't respect him as much since he is not an elected official. These LGU's have their own ordinances and some don't even follow the number coding scheme. The fact that he's from Tagaytay does not help his case in talking with these mayors.
As corrupt as the MMDA was when Fernando was head of it, I really miss him. He kicked ass. His enforcers would catch buses and private vehicles alike with no qualms if they disobeyed the rules. Sure it may be driven by kotong but drivers had the fear of being caught because of these relentless kotong boys. I remember city buses being limited to the right-most lane except when they go Ilalim. Private vehicles and provincial buses couldn't cross over to those lanes. It's crazy how I'm cheering for a guy who has a few corruptionallegations.
The MMDA seems to be the hardest office to take over. You have to deal with the DOTC for transport related items. They have to deal with the DPWH who constantly construct in the most inopportune moments. The LGU's may not respect you since they are elected officials. Maybe if NCR had a governor or something. Maybe the traffic woes can be handled in a unified fashion.
Traffic in Metro Manila has been a constant source of anger, rage and profanity-laden tirades. I have mentioned accountability once or twice before. But for the case of traffic in the Metro, who should be accountable? The drivers? DOTC? MMDA? LGU's? the President?
It's really hard to pinpoint who should handle this. But if this government really planned on getting getting the economy running, shouldn't it have developed a long term plan in handling the expected influx of traffic volume like the one they had for energy consumption? Oh wait...
Sometimes it makes me think. Is the economy growing because of this government's leadership or despite of it?
I'm not going to further antagonize Roxas. I mean, in GMA's version of the headline he did say that further investments in infrastructure is needed. Plus, he is with DILG and his responsibilities don't really encapsulate the traffic woes we have.
Let's look at the president. As I mentioned, Roxas only echoed Aquino's sentiments. Too bad the yahoo report with his quote won't load. Aside from his comment that I can no longer backup, there is the fact that his SONA's are not really focused on traffic. It is pretty evident if you read the last SONA. Though he did talk proudly of the Cavite Expressway and the Skyway Extension Project as he should, Be that as it may, I feel the commuter concerns are not really a priority for him. I mean, how can he applaud Jun Abaya's work on maritime concerns without reminding how inadequate he has been in dealing with the MRT? He mentioned how 2008 maintenance only covered painting. He mentioned DOTC's maintenance plans were TRO'ed by thanks to the evil corporation. Sure the MTRC is playing hardball, but how can he still be confident in Abaya? The fact of the matter is, Abaya couldn't handle his job with the MRT. Coupled with the dilapidated state of the PNR; Abaya hasn't really done much for the commuters. All Aquino did was applaud Abaya and defend him. When was the last time you were applauded by your boss when you failed to finish your paperwork? I don't know about you, but the awesomeness of my last report does not change the fact that I will get my ass handed to me if I miss my next deadline. I don't know what is it with Aquino and scolding his ineffective underlings. He bombards us with his "Daang Matuwid" slogan, yet accountability is an alien term as far as his allies are concerned.
Speaking of Aquino allies, how about the MMDA? How about Francis Tolentino? Do you remember the bus scheme that was put in place? Rappler gives us a diagram here of how it works. It's been a year now. The first few months, I noticed this. Two buses left the terminal at once and one can drop off at Ayala and the other can't. The same can be said with the rest of the stops. But for the past couple of times I went to the Metro, this is no longer being practiced. Buses will stop anywhere if you hit the metal handle bars with a coin. I guess, we can chalk this one up as a failed attempt. But an attempt nonetheless.
How about the Express Connect Bus? Remember the buses with limited drop off points from Fairview to Ayala? Well, as you can imagine, bus drivers and conductors really got the short end of that deal.
I really feel sorry for the MMDA. I mean, Tolentino tries. But he just can't help but fail. This can be attributed to the fact that the LGU's don't respect him. He may have a ton of plans that may work. But he has to compromise with several ego-driven LGU dynasties who I suspect don't respect him as much since he is not an elected official. These LGU's have their own ordinances and some don't even follow the number coding scheme. The fact that he's from Tagaytay does not help his case in talking with these mayors.
As corrupt as the MMDA was when Fernando was head of it, I really miss him. He kicked ass. His enforcers would catch buses and private vehicles alike with no qualms if they disobeyed the rules. Sure it may be driven by kotong but drivers had the fear of being caught because of these relentless kotong boys. I remember city buses being limited to the right-most lane except when they go Ilalim. Private vehicles and provincial buses couldn't cross over to those lanes. It's crazy how I'm cheering for a guy who has a few corruptionallegations.
The MMDA seems to be the hardest office to take over. You have to deal with the DOTC for transport related items. They have to deal with the DPWH who constantly construct in the most inopportune moments. The LGU's may not respect you since they are elected officials. Maybe if NCR had a governor or something. Maybe the traffic woes can be handled in a unified fashion.
Traffic in Metro Manila has been a constant source of anger, rage and profanity-laden tirades. I have mentioned accountability once or twice before. But for the case of traffic in the Metro, who should be accountable? The drivers? DOTC? MMDA? LGU's? the President?
It's really hard to pinpoint who should handle this. But if this government really planned on getting getting the economy running, shouldn't it have developed a long term plan in handling the expected influx of traffic volume like the one they had for energy consumption? Oh wait...
Sometimes it makes me think. Is the economy growing because of this government's leadership or despite of it?
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