Pinoy Gen Z develops crowd-powered MRT, LRT train-tracking app to ease commuter woes

The Rush-PH Netlify app. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — Frustrated by the lack of real-time train arrival information in Metro Manila’s mass transit system, Joshua Bumanlag created a web-based app to help daily commuters manage two of their biggest pains: waiting and uncertainty.

Bumanlag, a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) and now a full-time iOS developer at ING, said he noticed that, unlike in other countries, mass transit systems in Metro Manila don’t seem to provide accurate times for train arrivals in stations.

“If you go to Singapore, Thailand, meron silang estimation wherein kailan pupunta ang next train tapos until what time and so on and so forth. So that inspired me to do–what if gumawa ako for Philippines naman?” Bumanlag said in an interview. 

While Google Maps does present estimated arrival times for trains, glitches and breakdowns sometimes cause the trains to be late or not arrive at all, which is where the crowdsourced reporting of Bumanlag's "Rush-PH" app comes in. 

Bumanlag, a veteran of many hackathon competitions, calls the app a “passion project.” It is a mobile-first web application that offers estimated arrival times for LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 trains.

Joshua Bumanlag, the developer of the Rush-PH Netlify app which tracks LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3 trains 

The app can be accessed via rush-ph.netlify.app. It is not downloadable on app stores, but can be accessed via any browser and was designed with low-spec smartphones in mind.

Unlike previous apps, which Bumanlag said were often short-lived or focused on a wide set of features, Rush PH zeroes in on one commuter pain point: time uncertainty.

“If you have too many features on an app, I think it will overwhelm the user,” he said.

The app’s train arrival estimates began with Bumanlag’s personal commuting experience, particularly during rush hours. Over time, Rush PH evolved into a community-driven reporting tool. Users can report sightings of trains at stations to help refine the accuracy of the estimated arrival times.

To prevent false data, Rush PH requires email authentication before reports are accepted. Accuracy, which was at 77 percent when the system launched, has now improved to around 81 percent, according to Bumanlag.

“I think the benchmark is 60 percent, so I think we’re above average. Pero of course, mas better if umabot tayo ng 90 para mas maliit na lang yung mga outliers.”

Beyond commuters, Bumanlag believes the app could also benefit rail authorities to facilitate the crowd, since it provides a basis for tracking train activities.

Feedback has come from a wide range of users, including senior citizens. One encounter stood out.

“May nakatabi ako na senior citizen, sabi niya, ‘[Totoy] anong ginagawa mo? Para san yan?’ Sabi ko, ‘[Lola] para malaman mo kung kelan pupunta yung train, yung LRT” Hiningi niya yung link, isi-share niya daw sa mga kumare niya, shinare niya talaga sa GC. Sinabi niya sobrang helpful daw. Nakakataba ng puso.”

Bumanlag built Rush PH outside of work hours and is considering making the project open source in the coming months to allow volunteer developers to contribute.

He does not plan to monetize the app, though he is open to placing ads in the future to cover operational costs.

“Hindi talaga ako money-driven for this one. I just want to help people talaga.”

Looking ahead, Bumanlag intends to expand the app to include carousel jeepneys, PNR, and possibly provincial routes. He is also developing another app to guide first-time travelers both locally and internationally with tips, itineraries, and country-specific “dares.”

For aspiring developers, Bumanlag emphasized the importance of building with intention: “Find a problem that’s near to you or lagi mong naiexperience, then build upon it. If you’re building a product without purpose, I think it's worthless,” he said.