EMONG'S JOURNALS

We’ve all stood on a packed station platform, craning our necks toward empty tracks, wondering if our train is five minutes away or completely broken down. That agonizing game of commute roulette might finally be over. ​ FlightRadar for the MRT? Meet the App That Wants to Fix Your Daily Commute ​If you navigate Metro Manila’s transit web every day, you already know the routine: you step onto the platform, look at your watch, and hope for the best. Delays happen, breakdowns crop up without warning, and clear updates are often hard to come by. ​That exact frustration led RJ Crusem, a 28-year-old software developer from Cavite, to take matters into his own hands. Instead of just enduring the uncertainty, he decided to build TrainSight—a dedicated platform engineered to give passengers live, ground-level tracking of city train lines. Inspired by the Skies ​Crusem took inspiration from FlightRadar24, the popular tool aviation ...

Gas prices making you broke? It’s time to ditch the keys for the commute. ​Let’s face it: watching the numbers climb at the gas pump feels like watching your savings evaporate in real-time. With oil prices hitting record highs due to global instability , driving a private car has transformed from a convenience into a financial burden. If you’re tired of the " oil price hike " cycle, there has never been a better time to embrace the rails. Commuting via the MRT and LRT isn't just about skipping the gridlock anymore—starting this week, it’s officially the smartest way to protect your wallet. ​ The Big News: 50% Off Your Daily Ride ​In a major move to shield Filipinos from rising inflation , the Department of Transportation ( DOTr ) has announced a massive 50% discount for all MRT-3 and LRT-2 passengers beginning Monday, March 23. ​This directive comes straight from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who emphasiz...

Everyone makes mistakes now and then — as the saying goes, that’s why they put erasers on the end of pencils. Unfortunately for us Filipinos in the time of Covid-19, when we make mistakes we are very public and usually very costly — in a healthward and, sometimes, reputational sense. So, in no particular order, I thought we’d take a look at some decisions, with regards to commuting and motoring, where we might want a do-over if given the chance. And, with few exceptions, the people in question would likely never admit to these decisions being mistakes at all — nor would many who heeded to those. Regardless, sometimes things just don’t work as planned. The LRT social distancing fiasco Seems the LRT and the MRT lines as a whole is cursed in Metro Manila. Just recently, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) suspended its operations for a week following the surge in employees who tested positive for the coronavirus disease. Two hundred and two (202) MRT personnel wer...

With the imposition of a general community quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila along with an array of social restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), Filipinos are trying to adjust to a new normal that prioritizes public health during the pandemic and likely beyond. In this guide, I’ve rounded up the government's latest motoring guidelines to get you started, and to ensure your metro commuting is a safe, simple and worry-free experience. Contents 1. General guidelines 2. Modified number/color coding scheme - Exemptions 3. Private Vehicles - List of APORs 4. Public Utility Vehicles - Guidelines inside terminals - Cashless payments - LRT, MRT and PNR - Buses - Bus Routes - Modern jeepneys - UV Express - Taxis and TNVS - Motorcycle taxis - Tricycles 5. Commuters - Bike lanes - Pedestrian crossings - Bus/boarding stops General Guidelines - Mandatory wearing of face masks. - Social distancing. - For PUV...

In Metro Manila every day, 2.2 million vehicles squeeze into 5000 kilometers of roads. That's 440 vehicles pushing one another in every one kilometer of road. According to urban historian Paulo Alcazaren, Manila used to have one of the most effective tram and train systems in South East Asia. But after World War 2, the heavy damages incurred by the city forced Manila to shift from a rail-based system to an urban design that was based on a car-and-bus system. At present, this shift had been draining our country of PHP2.4 billion a day. Watch the five-minute documentary below. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS POST? Share your ideas by commenting.

Wipe those sweat away and try to be happy! Study proves it's actually advantageous for you when you ride the MRT to work. According to a Japanese research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015, riding the bus or train to work is associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and being overweight. It's because people who ride trains or bus commuters need to walk further than those who regularly walk or bike, not to mention those who drive to work.  "If it takes longer than 20 minutes one-way to commute by walking or cycling, many people seem to take public transportation or a auto in urban areas", said the study's lead author Dr. Hisako Tsuji, director of the Moriguchi City Health Examination Center, in a press release. A survey conducted on about 6,000 adults who attended the Moriguchi City Health Examination Center filled out a questionnaire on physical activity and how they got to work. It compared b...

T he Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has just released a photo of a sample of the new contactless, "tap-and-go" smart cards for the LRT and MRT. LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera posted on his Twitter account a picture of the new train tickets which will soon replace the conventional cards being used today. These cards, which are part of the new ticketing system, will be initially used for the LRT-2, but will soon be used on both the LRT-1 and MRT lines. The new vending machines to be installed can dispense card tickets which can be loaded from P11 to up to P10,000 with a life span of up to 4 years. These tickets contain microchips which are similar to Hong Kong's Octopus cards and Singapore's EZ link. Features also includes personalizations for senior citizens and PWDs to efficiently implement fare discounts. The tickets will also be available on retailers outside the stations. The LRTA will come up with an announcement soon when the new "ta...

B ulacan province is about to get nearer to Metro Manila, with the construction of the new MRT 7 to start by January of 2015. The Manila Mass Rapid Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) is set to begin January 2015, connecting Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan via a 23 kilometer stretch along Commonwealth Avenue. The line has been projected running in a northeast direction, traversing Quezon City and a part of Caloocan City in Metro Manila before ending at the City of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan province. The start point shall commence at Trinoma, SM North Edsa common terminal along Edsa, Quezon City and will end in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. The proposed stations (listed south to north) are as follows: North Avenue Quezon City Quezon Memorial Circle, Elliptical Road  University Avenue (along UP Diliman) Tandang Sora Avenue Don Antonio Heights (fronting Ever Commonwealth) Batasan Road Manggahan, Commonwealth (near Litex Road) Doña Carmen Subdivision Regalado ...