How to Avoid Traffic in Manila.

Source

Traffic in Manila is the worst!  Just a couple of days ago, I made an awful mistake of starting to travel to Silang Cavite at noon, on a Friday which fell on a pay-day.  Awful! I was able to reach the gallery at 4:30pm and came back home at Cubao around 9:30pm.

Looking back I wouldn't want to go through it again.  Now the thought of doing a 9-5 job left a bitter taste in my mouth.  If this is something that I would have to go through 5 days a week, I should be feeling lucky with my current freelance job.

Here are the things that would have saved me a lot of time.

5 Ways to Avoid Traffic in Manila

1.  Leave early and avoid rush hour

I fell for the same mistake I did during the Pahiyas trip in May.  I left later than planned, so I had to start my day in traffic as opposed to a smooth and sailing trip with fresh and cool morning breeze.

2. You don't have to go to the bus terminal to get on a bus

Instead, get one that's running on the road.  Chances are there are still available seats, if not, there will be some soon.  It's better that way than to go farther distance to go to the terminal, knowing that you'll have to go back to the same route you've been before.

3. Take the MRT

The line may look intimidatingly long, but once they're accepting passengers, you'll notice that you'll get closer quickly.  You'll just have to wait for minutes.  Better that than waiting for hours in a bus.  I noticed that it has been running a lot faster than usual.  Fast enough that it made me feel scared for those people in it, at the same time, happy that at least they're moving fast unlike the bus that I was in.

4.  Try taking tricycle

Tricycles could go to streets that's not so traffic and make its way in between cars or along sidewalks.  The point is, it's moving.  The only con is that you'll inhale more smoke from exhaust and it's more expensive.

5.Traffic is worst in roads entering Alabang but it gets better through Guadalupe

Stops at ortigas and continuous well through Santolan.   When there's traffic, there's really no choice but to exercise patience. But hopefully with stricter road law implementation, and improved MRT system, it will get better.   As for now, we just have to roll with the punches.