Our
local public transport system in the city beyond its chaotic jumble is one that
appears to defy logic and common sense.
First
of all, the size of the urban poblacion is so miniscule, one wonders why
walking is not the preferred option.
Using
Divisoria as a point of reference, it is only a little over one kilometer to
get to the Capitol and its environs, which include other government offices,
hospitals, and heavily-patronized businesses like banks and restaurants.
From
Divisoria to City Hall, is a few short blocks away; same with the churches and
large schools. Even the pier area is not
more than 2+ kilometers away. Cogon is
definitely within walking distance.
What more?
Plenty more within striking distance for what one needs critically or necessarily
for daily living.
Yet.
Our
streets are a sorry mess, to say the least, with a messy coterie of vehicles of
all sorts. From sikads, to relas, to
jeepneys, bicycles, motorbikes, and yes, assorted carts and caritons that defy
justification and description. And added
to the motley mix are the mindless pedestrians on the streets. Should we wonder why traffic most times is at
crawl pace in many chokepoints?
Why
so.
For
one thing. Our “door-to-door” mentality most likely brought to the fore because
of laziness or sloth.
When
we take public transport, we demand to be loaded and/or unloaded where we stand
and/or where we want to alight, not an inch less, whether legal or illegal, or
whether affecting traffic or not. And
even ambulatory vendors have to be within inches of us, thus they are all over
the place. And our dainty selves need to
take transport for distances beyond a block or maybe even less. Neither the cost notwithstanding, nor where our
economic station in life lies. Nor our years
of earthly existence, since many of the sikad riders I see are young and able,
with very sparse carry-ons on them. As a
matter of fact, many are neatly uniformed students.
Why,
in our gated subdivision beleaguered residents found the need to have available
sikad services, for the few blocks in and out of it. So they can hop to regular public transport which
they need to bring them to the poblacion, the closest area of which is less
than a kilometer away.
Need
we wonder why many of us live unhealthy lives, or unhealthy lifestyles overall?
