The 2017 Boston Consulting group survey ranked Metro Manila as the third most traffic-jammed country in Southeast Asia. The study says that commuters and motorists get stuck in traffic for an average of 66 minutes per day. Present data, on the other hand, shows that more than 2.5 million vehicles contribute to the worsening traffic condition in the metro.
According to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), there is no instant solution that can fix the traffic condition in the country. However, we all know that better transport systems are the ultimate answer to the current traffic situation. While waiting for the government to finish all their ongoing plans to build and rehabilitate road and transit systems, try to beat the traffic jam in the city with these three effective ways.
Leave home early
Yes, the struggle is real. Waking up at exactly four or five in the morning and leaving the house earlier than the usual are tough tasks. However, all of these are worth it because you can conveniently arrive in the office without being stuck in traffic. Rush hour doesn’t usually start until 6 to 7 am so better leave home before these hours.
You can also take the train to work but you have to be at the station early if you don’t want to fall into long lines of passengers during rush hour. The same thing goes with riding jeepneys, buses, and P2P bus services. Leave home early so that you can commute without hassle and experience a speedy ride to your respective destination.
Study alternate routes
Taking alternate routes can save you the hassle of taking public transportation for you can avoid the traffic congestion in common routes. You can also use certain routes to keep yourself from knee-high floods brought by heavy rains and closed roads due to accidents, among many other road inconveniences.
If commuting to Ayala Avenue, these routes might do you some good:
1. Take a bus from LRT Buendia going straight to Ayala Avenue.
2. Ride a jeep from LRT Buendia to Guadalupe and alight in front of RCBC, which is along Ayala Avenue.
3. Take a jeep from LRT Buendia to Pasong Tamo and alight in front of Export Bank. From there, you can walk to Ayala Avenue for around five minutes.
4. Take the train in LRT Buendia to LRT EDSA and take the connecting MRT to Ayala Station. This route is costly but it is one of the top alternatives when heavy rain pours.
Entertain yourself
There are times when you can’t escape traffic jams in the city. If this happens, bring something you can enjoy while you’re stuck and sitting inside a bus, train, or even jeepney. Bring a book to read. You can also binge-watch your favorite K-drama movies and TV series. A good music playlist can also save you from the anger brought by intense traffic jams.
Traffic jams are inevitable, especially in the Philippines where better roads are yet to come and where good urban planning is still a long shot. Complaining is your natural response to inconvenience and it’s hard to keep cool when stuck in traffic, but patience and wits will soon pay you off.
In partnership with MoneyMax.ph
