North vs. South: Commuter Woes
May 20, 2016 • 8List
Trains
South: We only have the sketchy PNR train that’s reminiscent of the horror trains during school fair.
North: Let us put emphasis on “horror stories” and a little dash of Houdini magic for the occasional stroll along the elevated train tracks during rush hour, and just stop. Oh, MRT, how we love to hate you but we can never get over you.
Airport
Via wikihow.com
South: Ha! This is like in our backyard. We can leave the house and hop in a cab two hours before our flight and get to the airport in like 15 minutes max. And yeah, we prefer flying out of Metro Manila during long weekends than braving the Northern provinces and risk getting stuck on the expressways for half the day.
North: Oh, so you have an early flight… WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK, RIGHT!? Just bring the damn airports to the northern provinces, please!
OT
Via inquirer.net
South: The last shuttle leaves Makati at around midnight, so that’s the max when it comes to our overtime. But should work really demand it, there’s always Uber, Grab, and the regular cabs. And there’s still another way of commuting: the buses that cruise along EDSA and stop at each of the Skyway exits.
North: OT? Well, there’s the last MRT train home at around 10:30pm or the buses you hate, the shabu-induced UV drivers (no offense, it’s just that it seems like they never sleep). Better yet, just stay where you are, grab a couple of bottles, and wait until traffic subsides (about .0001%) early in the morning ‘til you’re finally homebound.
Rainy Season
South: The hot season is almost over and the rainy season is expected to be worse than ever, which means commuting can be quite hellish. At least on my side of town, we don’t experience floods and the UV Express takes the Skyway to escape from the wrath of flood waters.
North: Just wait and see. We’ve been saving up for those amphibian vehicles you once saw online. Well, in our dreams, at least. What else is new? This is the final stage in the buwis buhay training program just to get to wherever it is you’re going. Bring it!
The take aways: people from both North and South go through their own Calvary when commuting. It’s also a given that it’s harder to commute to and from the south as most transportation networks are connected to the north. Thus, it can be concluded that northerners are more used to buwis buhay commutes, although of course, they also do appreciate the (buwis buhay) efforts of their southern counterparts. ;)
What are the commuter woes from your end of the Metro? Misery loves company—sound off in the comments below!
