I am now officially enrolled and studying in De La Salle University – Manila, following a successful entrance exam, payment of my tuition for my first term and attendance of the recent LaSalle Personal Effectiveness Program (LPEP), a two-day program focused on getting the “froshies” (their fancy term for freshmen) on the right track. I just finished the LPEP earlier this day, after plenty of tiring activities, lectures and performances.
DLSU Manila is not located in a convenient distance from my home. I have to cross borders of two regions, since I live in CALABARZON and DLSU is in Manila.
To get there, I have to rely on public transportation. I don’t want my parents getting me to school, I’m old enough to go out myself. So it is public transit or nothing.
The Bus
The major form of public transportation that I will have to take is the bus. Sure, to reach the bus routes I will have to get to the highways they travel onto through a tricycle ride, but the bus is one of the most important modes of transportation for me to get to DLSU. Buses offer trips from provinces to Buendia Ave., where most provincial buses now stay and turn around because apparently they aren’t allowed to roam around Metro Manila anymore except from there to the Baclaran area.
A standard bus fare costs an average of Php25.00. If I find a bus at Gahak rather than the Aguinaldo Highway, the costs goes up to Php30.00. Obviously, I’m put at some sort of disadvantage, since it’s more expensive and the bus does not go inside Buendia Avenue. At least I have a larger chance to sit down on this bus line.
The Light Rail Transit (LRT)
The Light Rail Transit, more popularly known as the LRT, is an elevated train network that travels around various parts of Metro Manila. The first and often used line is the one that travels along Taft Ave., but there are also other rail lines that travel along other parts of Metro Manila such as Quezon City. The first line is, obviously, what I take to get to DLSU.
A LRT ticket costs only Php12.00 since I only travel no farther than Vito Cruz to Libertad. Sure, the jeepneys offer a cheaper fare of Php7.50 from Gil Puyat to DLSU, but jeepneys are usually more crowded, slower, and, more importantly, much more dangerous. They do not have security personnel on watch, unlike the LRT.
Verdict
Public transportation in the Philippines is risky, crowded, and at most times slow and congested, but it is a must to learn and experience if you plan to stay in the country for a long time. There will be times when private transportation is unavailable, and you will have to commute. As I have learned through my past experiences, mastering the ways of Philippine public transportation requires trial and error. There are no updated and regulated transit maps in the country, as transit routes are regularly changing and inconsistent. The only information you can rely on is from others, your research of the area, and your experiences where you struggle to find a PUJ that goes through that place you really don’t know where.
A strong piece of advice, if you do not have the courage to ride with strangers in packed conditions as if you’re inside a can of sardines with wheels, don’t use public transportation. Get someone to pick you up, or hail a cab, instead.
