Commute conundrum

“Are you lost in the city too?”

Caught in the morning rush, surrounded by strangers you see more often than your own family. Lost not in direction, but in the hours spent waiting—at terminals, in traffic, in the long in-between of leaving and arriving.

They say the city never sleeps—but neither do we. We rise with the smog, racing time we never seem to catch.

For Filipino students, commuting is like an ever-present companion, constant, unavoidable, and consuming much of their daily lives. Despite the daily struggle of squeezing into overcrowded transportation, sacrificing rest, traffic, and navigating unpredictable routes, the road remains the lifeline of every commuter.

But loving Manila is not without cost. Every ride takes more than the fare. It takes time, rest, sometimes a little bit of who we are.

Commuting has become a balancing act, where academics are just one of the many weights students must carry. Alongside backlogs and deadlines, they juggle the mental strain and physical challenges of getting to and from school. Time spent waiting in long lines or stuck in gridlock feels like a race against the clock, where the destination often seems farther away with every passing moment. These issues go beyond inconvenience—they directly affect students’ physical well-being, mental focus, and academic performance.

In Metro Manila alone, commuters lose about 127 hours per year during rush hour, according to 2024 data from Statista. That is more than five full days a year—days that could have been spent studying, resting, or with family.

For students, every lost hour magnifies the pressures they already face inside and outside the classroom. And the road, which should be a bridge to opportunity, often becomes an obstacle.

Recent developments in the country’s transportation system offer a glimmer of hope, though. Projects like the LRT-1 extension and the continued operation of the EDSA Bus Carousel have started to reshape the commuting landscape. The LRT-1 extension connects new areas, providing faster and more efficient travel for thousands of daily commuters. Meanwhile, the EDSA Bus Carousel, with its dedicated lane, promises reduced travel times along Metro Manila’s busiest corridor.

While these developments are promising, the journey toward accessible and efficient transportation remains incomplete: What about the student who still walks an hour to the nearest terminal? What about those from Bulacan or Cavite, whose rides don’t begin with trains but with tricycles and hope? Infrastructure may be expanding, but not always in the right direction—or at the speed people need.

They say there’s progress—the kind that’s measured in kilometers of rail. But not in hours saved. Not in missed meals or missed lectures. Not in students who nod off in class, not because they don’t care, but because they’ve already given their energy to the streets.

Crowded buses and trains are still a daily reality, particularly during peak hours. Accessibility also remains a challenge; while the LRT-1 extension and EDSA Bus Carousel have benefited specific areas, but as mentioned, students from farther provinces or underserved regions continue to face hurdles in reaching their destinations.

Moreover, looming challenges threaten to undo some of these gains. The possible removal of the EDSA Bus Carousel's exclusive lane, the recent fare hikes for LRT commuters, and the possible renovations that could disrupt current services all pose serious risks. Band-aid solutions like road widening—impractical in an already congested and overbuilt Metro Manila—are unlikely to address the core of the problem.

“In spite of this, still, we dream. We dream of degrees, of better days, of a smoother ride.”

But dreaming alone isn’t enough. Real change requires more than metal tracks and colorful infographics. It demands policies that understand the commuter—not just as a statistic, but as a human being.

Expanding these services to more areas could alleviate the burden on commuters who rely on limited or costly alternatives. Transitioning to cleaner alternatives—such as supporting electric public transport, expanding cycling infrastructure, and promoting carpooling—must be part of the broader conversation.

Looking at other countries offers valuable lessons. In Singapore, for instance, owning and registering a car requires a Certificate of Entitlement (COE)—a government-issued permit that controls the number of vehicles on the road.

With COE costs reaching tens of thousands of dollars and limited releases each year, Singapore effectively prevents traffic congestion and prioritizes efficient, sustainable transport systems.

While not all policies can be transplanted wholesale, the principle of limiting vehicle oversupply while investing heavily in public transport infrastructure is something the Philippines can learn from.

On the home front, measures such as a "no parking, no car" policy—where owning a car is conditional on having sufficient parking—could be a bold step toward reducing the number of idle vehicles clogging already burdened streets. Similarly, encouraging shared rides, regulating car releases per household, and heavily investing in transport alternatives can help alleviate congestion without disproportionately affecting the car industry or, more importantly, everyday citizens.

The positive momentum from projects like the LRT-1 extension and the EDSA Bus Carousel must not be lost. Instead, it should serve as a foundation for broader reforms that truly prioritize commuters, especially students who rely on these systems not just for convenience, but for their education and futures. Schools, communities, and government agencies must work hand-in-hand to implement programs such as student fare subsidies, expanded transport networks to underserved areas, and safer, more reliable commuting options.

The commute conundrum continues to affect countless students, but with each new initiative and with sustained political will, the journey can—and must—improve.

Will you still feel lost in the city with those?

Maybe, maybe not. But being lost doesn’t mean giving up. It means we’re still looking for a better route, a fairer system, a country where the road leads somewhere worth going. Where getting to school is not the hardest part of being a student.

One should not have to exhaust their physical energy, mental resilience, or financial resources simply to endure the daily grind. They deserve a transportation system that serves them and connects them to greater opportunities, not one that drains them before they even arrive at their destinations.

The journey is long. But we walk it anyway. And while some challenges are inevitable, making the journey smoother and more manageable can turn necessity into progress, ensuring that the road truly serves as a lifeline rather than an obstacle.