If you can still remember, I had a post with a similar title a year ago (here’s a link, if you want to be refreshed). Well, I just basically described there my tour around the metro through its three train lines. I did the same just now.
I went to PRC to renew my CPA license. The first bus that came was a Cubao-bound bus. I went for it and just got off at Magallanes. From there, I took the MRT going to Taft Avenue, and transferred to LRT-1 heading to Central Station. From Central Station, I took a jeep going to España and got off at Lerma(?) / Morayta. By the way, the coach that I was able to take was the new LRT-1 trains. They are called 3G Trains (short for 3rd generation). Ang angas ng dating! Ang ganda! Sayang lang, I wasn’t able to bring my camera and take a picture of the new train. Anyway, moving on…
The whole license renewal processing was a breeze. I finished everything in about 30 minutes. But I decided to stay a little longer as I wanted to cool down because even though it was raining outside, it is still very hot and I was still soaked (not with rain, but) with sweat. After almost 30 minutes (again!) of fronting an electric fan, I decided it was time for me to move on. Besides, I need to be in Ortigas to meet my friends at Mega Mall.
I wanted to take a cab. But no cab was in sight, and the lone cab that I saw does not want to go to Ortigas! Darn these Pinoy taxi drivers… walang ganyan sa Toronto! Since I was already in Misericordia (old name of C.M. Recto, which I think is better sounding), I decided to just take the LRT-2 to Cubao. I walked from FEU up to San Beda where the Legarda Station is. My 30-minute cooling down at PRC was all put into waste, as I was again soaking wet from my sweat (oh, that rhymes!). Nakakahiya talaga… samantalang yung iba eh parang lamig na lamig pa at mga naka-jacket! Thankfully, the LRT-2 coaches were equipped with heavy-duty airconditioning units. So during my quick trip from Legarda to Cubao, I had the opportunity to revert my body temperature to normal.
From LRT-2 in Cubao, I transferred to MRT (again!). I was an hour early before the rush hour (thank God!), so I was saved from the jampacked MRT trains. At last, I was in Ortigas! I met Anne and Macky. They were my Ortigas buddies (together with Lhea), before Anne moved to Manila, Lhea went to Parañaque and I moved to you know where. I remember, everytime I am in ADB, I don’t miss to meet them and have short chit-chat (and sumptuous dinner… hehehe). Now back to the LRT lines…
Among the three train lines, my favorite (still) is LRT-2. They have bigger coaches and the train station layout provides adequate space for the waiting passengers. And I think every station’s layout and the entire track was well thought of and planned as it did not make the streets dark and crampy compared to its predecessors.
The entire trip was smooth, I can say. But I just wish the government can make it smoother. I have some suggestions (haha… as if someone from the government is reading this):
- Implement a one-ticket policy for all the trains. It will be a breeze for the commuting public if they do not need to fall in those long queues just to buy their tickets for three different train lines.
- Automate the ticketing process. LRT-2 is already using it. Why can’t the other two lines do the same? By doing that, the government can save lots of money paying for employee’s salary. (But wait, I don’t think any of the train lines is operated by the government).
- Explore other means of distributing tickets. If the government (or whoever the operator of the trains are) does not see that an automated ticketing process is possible in the near future, they can explore other means of distributing tickets to cut the long lines in ticketing booth. Have you been to Ayala Station of MRT during rush hours? You can mistake the long ticket lines to that of a concert or a PBA game. It’s okay if the station is airconditioned, but it’s not. So all the heat (and varrying body odor) can just add up to a day’s worth of office stress. The government can commission retail stores (e.g. 7-11, SM, or even the local convenience store) to distribute tickets. These stores will then just remit the ticket sales to the government. Of course, the government needs to audit their distributors as to whether they remit their ticket sales completely and accurately… meaning more job for accountants. Hehehe… Plus, they need to think of how to have the tickets billed since price for one station differs to the other.
- Have the stations really connected. As of the moment, the public needs to walk for another (at least) 5 minutes just to transfer from one train to the other. I just hope that there can be a direct connection from one train to the other… like double or triple decker train stations where the public can just go up or down the stairs to get to their next train. Not that I hate walking, it is more convenient and more disabled-friendly.
- Build a more disabled-friendly train, station and walkway. In relation to my point above, I wish the government can make the trains lines more accessible to people with disability (PWD). And by "more accessibe to PWD", I mean it should not only be limited to people in wheelchair. It should also include (but should not be limited to) those who have hearing and sight impairment. An example that I can readily give is that each train should have an automated announcement on the name of the station, so those who have difficulty in reading can know if it is their stop or not. As of now, the only train line that I can hear consistent train stop announcements is LRT-2.
Well, those were just my (far-fetched, I hope not) thoughts. If you will notice, I did not went to Makati (for a change!). Honestly, I deliberately decided not to go to there, even though it is my favorite place to hang out. I guess, Makati (Ayala Center specifically) will be out of my picture for a little while as I wait for the Glorietta-2 fuss to subside.
Touring Metro Manila can be a chaotic experience. But sometimes a little chaos is good for the soul. It enables us to reach reality.
