Understatement of the year: commuting in the Philippines is a challenge. Scroll through any social media post about public transportation and you’re bound to see countless stories of commuters sharing their struggles. But there are also those who don’t know how to show a bit of empathy, leaving comments that should’ve just stayed in the drafts. Do any of these insensitive comments sound familiar to you? Take a look. 

“Ba’t ‘di ka na lang kasi lumipat mas malapit sa workplace mo.”

Some people are living paycheck to paycheck, and demanding them to move into a new place to have a ~*hassle-free commuting experience*~ is downright rude. Pinoy commuters have been struggling with our inefficient public transport system for so long — it’s about time we stop asking them to adjust or settle for compromises. 

“Agahan mo kasi ang gising mo.” 

Newsflash: people are already waking up hours before they have to get to work. The problem is that when thousands of commuters are also doing the same thing, you’ll have to wake up even earlier. When it takes commuters multiple hours to get to work and go home, when will they have time to sleep — let alone relax and spend time with their loved ones?

“Sanayan lang ‘yan.” 

Sadly, our public transport system has been inefficient for so long that some have just learned to live with it. But we shouldn’t have to live with this. We deserve better. 

“‘Wag ka lumabas ng bahay kung ayaw mo gumastos!”

Wow. This tip is totally helpful and life-changing! How come we didn’t think of this?

“Puro kayo reklamo, may free ride na nga!”

PSA: Just because you aren’t experiencing the struggles faced by everyday commuters doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

What’s so wrong with demanding better roads or comprehensive transportation plans? People complain about our poor public transport because they see issues unaddressed or plastered with band-aid fixes. 

“‘Wag kayo lagi umasa sa gobyerno!”

Public servants are called public servants for a reason⁠ — to serve the people and provide programs or services that’ll help improve their lives. No one forced them to run for a government position in the first place. Public officials should always serve the best interests of their citizens and not the other way around. 

“Pwede ka naman mag-Grab o bumili ng kotse.”

This sentence reeks of elitism because not everyone has the means to book a cab daily, much less buy a car. ICYMI, public transport is predominantly used by commuters who don’t reside in gated subdivisions or earn six-figure paychecks. The next time you want to suggest some expensive alternatives to commuters, check your privilege first. Thank you.

“Wala na tayong magagawa d’yan.”

Change won’t happen if we maintain an “it is what is” attitude. Change only happens once we start to call for accountability. Our government officials were elected to serve the people, and it’s within our rights to demand better services. If we can’t count on our leaders to give long-term solutions to problems like public transport, it’s a big disservice to those who elected them. Isn’t that what our taxes are for?

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