Traffic actually isn’t bad—it’s the worst.
Waze’s 2015 Global Driver Satisfaction Index revealed the figures: the average commute time in Metro Manila is 45.5 minutes, the longest in the world. And on a rating from 10 (satisfying) to 1 (miserable), the Philippines got 0.4. Let that sink in for a moment.
Say you live in Quezon City and travel all the way to Fort Bonifacio where your office is located, the news above is a slap in the face. Your usual 15-minute travel may stretch up to 1.5 to 2 hours especially during rush hours. And the result? You miss early dinners, longer hours of sleep, and the chance to exercise before or after office. Now imagine going through the same horror every single working day. That though alone is exhausting.
Less Money, Less Productivity
An online money calculation platform cites that at least ₱3 billion ($64 million) is wasted each day to traffic jams, about 0.8 percent of gross domestic product. Take for example: 0.1 to 0.6 liters of fuel is used up even when you’re in an unmoving traffic, that’s about ₱20 worth of fuel per vehicle, and thousands of pesos each year.
Infographic by Patsy Lascano / Sakay.ph — Data from Philippine Star, GMA, JICA Transport Study, Inquirer.net
Aside from economic costs, the impact of traffic on a commuter’s travel itinerary is horrendous enough. They spend longer time in queuing, getting a ride, and travelling. The two extra hours, which should have been devoted to more relevant matters, add unnecessary stress and pose more health risks than before.
So what now? Do we build more roads? Vehicles will catch up, and the growth of car ownership will further contribute to the worsening problem. While we can only do so much with the increasing car sales and problematic road constructions, moving away from the cacophony of jams might be the closest and best solution we have as of now.
Walk from Home
More families and individuals relocate to more convenient and highly urbanized locations such as Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, where job opportunities increasingly flock. Staying close to work means no commute, just a ten-minute walk or a short bike ride from home
McKinley Hill Photo by Carlo Sule
Townships such as Forbestown and McKinley Hill provide everything for you, whether it be an office, a mall, a restaurant, a school, and even a church. And these establishments have a 24/7 counterpart–in Uptown Bonifacio where you can see a movie at 12 MN or grab a breakfast at 5 AM.
Just think—when you live in townships, you save more money and time, you don’t experience rush hour jams, and you won’t definitely miss anything you had in the Metro.
