Camille Naredo

Passengers arrive at the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) North Avenue Station on November 6, 2023.

Passengers arrive at the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) North Avenue Station on November 6, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

NATIONAL CHILDREN'S MONTH

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies experienced firsthand the daily ordeal endured by ordinary Filipinos just to get to work—a situation that Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez himself described as resembling a “war zone” after commuting last Monday.</p><p>Following Lopez’s directive, transportation officials began commuting Wednesday to personally feel the challenges faced by commuters and to help craft new policies that could improve the country’s public transportation system.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/16/dotr-execs-ordered-to-commute-at-least-once-a-week-1124">READ: DOTr officials ordered to take public transport at least once a week</a></div><p>Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza, was among those who rode public transport. At 5:15 a.m., he waited for 20 minutes for a jeepney along Katipunan Avenue before walking to Aurora Boulevard, where he was finally able to board a modern jeepney bound for Cubao.</p><p>“Matagal din ako naghintay sa Katipunan na sana may dumating na jeep, bus, wala eh. So traysikel ako, bayad ng P20. Puno yung modern jeep papuntang Araneta,” Mendoza recounted.</p><p>From Araneta Center, he rode the MRT-3 to Kamuning. It took him two hours before reaching the LTO office along East Avenue in Quezon City.</p><p>“Ang hirap yung Araneta papuntang MRT, ang layo pala ng lakad na ‘yon. Kung ikaw, gaya ko, senior, pwede, ay naku, hirap ka. Sana man lang magkaroon ng shuttle,” he said.</p><p>“Pagdating mo sa MRT, pawis na pawis ka sa kakalakad mo. Sana yung connectivity maayos. Siguro learning curve ‘yon,” he added.</p><p>Mendoza noted the shortage of transport options during rush hours and suggested possible government intervention.</p><p>“Additional units during rush hour lang, tapos tuwing non-rush hour pabayaan na yung private sector. Kasi kulang naman talaga sa dami ng commuters during rush hour. At least maiwasan natin yung sardinas-type o kaya naman ‘yung nakasabit na sa likod ng jeep,” he said.</p><p>“Not necessarily jeep—kung anumang uri ng sasakyan na makakadagdag na masakyan ng everyday commuters during rush hour sa umaga at hapon—siguro malaking tulong na ‘yon,” he added.</p><p>Philippine National Railways (PNR) General Manager Engr. Giovanni Miranda, who regularly commutes via LRT-2 from Antipolo to his office in Tutuban, Manila, also shared his experience.</p><p>“Siksikan na pagdating ng Sta. Lucia. Dumami na ang pasahero, 8:30 na ‘yon, marami pa rin nagcocommute kaya talagang siksikan. Maganda lang dahil yung isang tren na nasakyan ko kanina mas malakas yung aircon niya. Pero sa weekly nae-encounter ko, may tren kasi na mahina yung aircon—minsan ‘yun ang nakakadagdag ng discomfort,” Miranda said.</p><p>From Recto, Miranda rode a “tuktuk” to his office. He assured that PNR is enhancing services, including Wi-Fi and additional train capacity, especially in Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur, and Albay.</p><p>Other undersecretaries and assistant secretaries of the DOTr also joined the initiative.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/16/-parusa-parang-giyera-acting-dotr-secretary-sumakay-ng-bus-sa-commonwealth-1004">Acting DOTr Secretary sumakay ng bus sa Commonwealth</a></div><p>Assistant Secretary for Road and Non-Infrastructure Dioscoro Reyes rode a modern jeepney from Fairview at 5:30 a.m., then transferred to the MRT at Quezon Avenue before heading to the DOTr office in Ortigas.</p><p>Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan and Assistant Secretary Eduardo Danilo Macabulos took a modern jeepney around 6:30 a.m. to Shaw Boulevard, then boarded the MRT to Santolan-Annapolis Station before walking the rest of the way to work.</p><p>Meanwhile, Undersecretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure Ramon Reyes rode the MRT at Guadalupe Station.</p><p>The one-day commuting experience of the officials represents only a fraction of the daily struggle endured by ordinary passengers, many of whom spend hours waiting for rides due to the country’s inadequate transport system.</p><p>“Sana dagdagan yung sasakyan na hindi mahirapan kaming mga sumasakay. Kasi minsan kulang-kulang sasakyan eh. Kapag uwian ng gabi, wala rin masakyan. Minsan alas-onse na kami makarating sa bahay namin kasi mahirap,” said security guard Susan Espiritu.</p><p>“Minsan nalalate ako sa trabaho. Nakakapagod din po yung pag-aantay, yung init, yung oras nasasayang din po,” added caregiver Mariss Acebo.</p><p>For the Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection (LCSP), it is not enough for government officials to simply try public transport once.</p><p>The group suggested that all government officials and politicians should also commute.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/17/-good-acting-manibela-binatikos-ang-pagsakay-ng-bus-ng-acting-dotr-chief-0723">Manibela binatikos ang pagsakay ng bus ng acting DOTR chief</a></div><p>“Gawin n’yo na ‘yan sa lahat ng ahensya—lahat ng mga opisyal sa lahat ng ahensya at mga elected officials. Kahit minsan mag-public transport kayo, minsan isang linggo.</p><p>Kapag ganyan, malaking tulong ‘yan sa traffic. Ilang kotse ang mababawas d’yan, lalo na yung mga mayayabang na may wang-wang, mayroon pang mga kasamang hagad,” said LCSP President Ariel Inton.</p><p>Under the directive of Acting Sec. Lopez, all transportation officials must commute at least once a week and submit recommendations to help improve the public transportation system.</p><p>Commuters hope that the experiences of DOTr officials will pave the way for genuine improvements in the public transportation system, allowing them to travel with greater ease and comfort.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C_QA24qyKhU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies experienced firsthand the daily ordeal endured by ordinary Filipinos just to get to work, a situation that Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez himself described as resembling a “war zone”.</p>

Officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies experienced firsthand the daily ordeal endured by ordinary Filipinos just to get to work, a situation that Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez himself described as resembling a “war zone”.

Transport officials experience daily struggles faced by ordinary commuters

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Transport officials experience daily struggles faced by ordinary commuters

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 18, 2025 12:26 AM PHT

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