The Battle Zone of Manila

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Calm down. War has not reached Manila yet, at least not the one that initially crosses your mind. The battle zone that we will talk about is the battle for space in the roads of Metro-Manila among hundreds of thousands of vehicles, millions upon millions of humanity, thousands of hawkers, legalized structures by government default and hell knows what else.

Jones Bridge - NOW
Jones Bridge Manila- 1930's


The roads of Metro-Manila, like a volcano had passed various stages of evolution in terms of utilization. From dormancy in the early 1900’s, roads came to active use in the mid’s to super active in the late’s and steadily increased in intensity at the advent of the new millennium. Now it reached the level of saturation and like a volcano is about to explode, not in the real sense of the word, but rather, as a cause towards the effect that it has become one of the major STRESSOR that threatens the physical well being of the people that uses those roads... or whatever is left of it. In every GOD-given day, from home to work and back one has to travel at least four hours...  and note the words “at least” since it can easily go up to six hours if “luck” happens to be stuck in the traffic elsewhere. It means you can be detained against your will from four to six hours a day, every time you go out there. By the way, I wonder who can be sued for illegal detention in this case. Well anyway it would be a consolation if one can just sit there in the middle of the road, listening to music and doing nothing. But no, in every second... in every minute, you have to kick your clutch, slam your brake, pedal your gas and shove your stick to move one foot at a time. In that case, why bother driving, take a PUV instead and relax. Sounds good and logical but let’s see. Whoa! There goes the queue, 1/3 the distance of office to home, end to end.  At least there will be no kicking, slamming, pedaling and shoving. True, but the vein is going varicose while waiting and standing for almost an hour making it a topping on the four hours mentioned earlier. Sonovagan! All this after an eight hour excruciating, back breaking, mind drenching work. What are prayers for? Why not asked the heavens for courage to accept what cannot change and find solace to live with it? That’s an awesome expression of faith, I think we should do that, but first let us take a peep of the street/s and see what is causing all this seemingly unchangeable reality. 

 Here it is! But not necessarily in the order and degree of exasperation:

  • Side streets reduced to private parking area. It is now owned by the owner of the structure it is fronted with. Not passable for wide bodied vehicles. 
  • OMG! The sidewalks are gone. Don’t they make them anymore?
  • All streets and highways except expressways are terminal extensions for jeeps, buses, tricycles, taxis and AUV’s. Don’t even think of honking, we have to respect their human right to earn a living. 
  • Bus drivers are allowed to practice their tactical driving skills on escape and evasion. No wonder their nose is in the inner lane and their butt is in the outer lane.
  • Hawkers and their “caritons’ has a right of way in every highway.
  • Tricycles and motorcycles is now a major stockholder in the Metro-manila road. They practically owned the “Gaddam” streets. 
    Tricycles on Highways
  • Tricycles has speed limit of 20 kph for safety reason? Just pray you are not behind one.  
  • Tricycles has passenger limit of 6 excluding driver. Can’t be too careful these days.
  • Motor bancas and pedicabs can now marry. Their offsprings now litter the roads of the old Manila. Some sort of legalize alien marriage?
    Kuliglig- Moiuntain Bike with Boat motor
  • Traffic enforcers are the boss. If he decides it’s a go... its a go…! He doesn’t care if your distance is the size of a button hole, he will wait for you till you cross the intersection even if the other  lanes are piled up and bumping nose and butt for almost an hour. Wow! 
    Enforcers practically choking and obstructing one lane of the road
  • Road collisions are sacred. No one wants to move towards the shoulder until investigators arrive for the picture taking. But I thought all cell-phones have cameras.
  • Everybody has to leave home for work including those that can use their home based PC. It must be something about their faces that has to be seen by the boss daily.
  • ODD/ EVEN scheme causes surge in vehicle acquisition tilting the balance against the dwindled road space. Sounds Odd.. 

Is that all? Maybe or maybe not, but the foregoing made a significant impact to the intensity and ferocity of the fight for space in the Metro-Manila roads referred to as the battle zone. Its ultimate effect on physical and mental health is certain, and destined to literally maim or kill in the near future.

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