Public transportation here in Metro Manila is like a crappy food court during lunch time, you have a lot of choices but you know they all serve crap. But since you’re half way to starving to death, you have no choice but to dig in. In my six-month stay here, I have nothing good to say about it. Yup, absolutely nothing (yes offense).
Every single ride is such an ordeal. Come to think of it, it is the most stressing part of my day. First, falling in line for every ride feels like a refugee on a feeding camp. While a guy shouting orders like you’re a bunch of military cadets. “O usog-usog naman kayo diyan! Ipitin nio yan! Mam, ser ayusin nio upo nio, wala kayo sa restawran!” And then he’ll pat the vehicle like it’s a can of sardine and we’re fish being pull out on it. Oh I hate it when they do that. I hate it so much that I wish I’m one of those kotong cops where I can just pull it my stick and beat the hell out of that guy (Sorry, that turned out scary, hehe). Then you have to endure the a thousand-degree ride. If you sweat like a pig, every little preparation you did with your clothes is ruined. And if you think it can’t get any worst, I have one word for you: ‘traffic’.
I have listed four vehicles that I usually ride and my rants with them. I didn’t include FX and vans since I rarely ride them.
- Bus – I hate buses. They are the worst kind. If they are not causing traffic in EDSA while honking like hell to pick-up passengers (shoot me now), they are recklessly overtaking other vehicles. I don’t think they’re here to transport people, they’re here to pick-up, ask for the fare and forget about us. They don’t have even the slightest idea of the word ’service’. They have violated almost every imaginable violation there is: Illegal loading and unloading, illegal parking, hazard parking, etc. you name it, they have it as violation ticket.
- MRT – In my food court analogy, I imagine MRT like those fast food chains, they serve food that’s tolerable enough but you just have to wait until people settle which, in reality, doesn’t really happen. The phrase “I’ll get into the next one” doesn’t apply because the next will also be full. So either you get stuck on the station forever or ‘fight’ your way through to get home.
- Jeepney – jeepney’s are not annoying per se, they are just not built with comfort in mind. In fact, I have lesser headaches than them compared to bus. But because of that it’s so easy to get irritated with it. Case in point, it’s too crowded for a mass transportation. The driver would say “Sampu-an ho yan, Konting ipit lang po“. How did he arrive with a number like that, people’s waist size varies! Here’s another, when it’s raining you get wet, when it’s not, its like oven inside. It’s harsh but someone has to say this, jeepney’s are mediocre type of vehicle.
- Taxi – I had a hard time figuring out what I can complain about them. I even thought that maybe they’re the exception to my rant. They just don’t fit in my food court analogy. And I was right. They don’t. They’re more of a restaurant. The kind that let’s you wait outside and while a bitchy receptionist hold you in line with her stupid waiting list. Yeah you could go to the another restaurant (or to the food court) but all of them are full and you’re dying to taste some good ‘ol steak. Most taxi drivers are arrogant and proud, especially the ones that are driving brand new models. If they don’t see you on your best Sunday suit, they’ll simply pass by you and pick up the next well-suited passenger on the next corner. And when they stop on you (it’s your lucky day!), it does not necessarily when that you’re getting in. Oh hell no. The driver will ask you questions and negotiate with you first “Boss, plus 20 na lang ha?” and it may sound that he’s asking but he’s not. Because if you don’t agree, this asshole will shut the door and leave you to dust.
My point is, I think that we deserve a better transportation system. Not because we are paying taxes but because it’s a basic thing of an improved lifestyle. It should be one less thing to worry about.
We were, however, forbidden to take pictures which really sucked. We surrendered our cameras on the deposit counter but since I have my phone I thought I could sneak in and take some pictures from it. But alas, we were followed by one of the staff so my plan barely worked. The picture on the left was the only picture of Spolarium I got. Ugh. 
