Can the EDSA Bus Carousel turn into a full-fledged BRT?

Metro Manila has been a car-centric city for a long time. Many studies have highlighted the negative effects of car-centrism to society, including environmental, social, and economic issues.

Cars and car ownership are not bad per se. What makes them bad for the city is that we have too much of it. The prevalence of cars has significantly reduced walkable spaces, increased urban sprawl, and worsened obesity and health issues, to name a few.

While the city's love for cars has generally improved the mobility of the minority (i.e., the middle class and above), it has inevitably caused an inconvenience for everyone else. It has made life difficult for senior citizens, PWDs, children, daily commuters, and essentially people who simply cannot afford a private vehicle. More cars also mean more roads, thereby leading to an inefficient public transport system and pedestrian infrastructure.

Each day, the estimated cost of traffic in Metro Manila is PHP3.5 billion, based on a 2018 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. By 2035, this is expected to rise to PHP5.4 billion. In addition, global traffic index Tomtom states that it took 25.5 minutes on average to travel 10 kilometers in Manila in 2023.

This brings me to the question: Are our leaders in the urban scene of Metro Manila managing for society, or managing for cars?

Only around 12% of households in Metro Manila own cars. If our leaders are managing for cars, this means they are only serving the interests of the minority. What about the majority of Metro Manila residents who have to endure the daily commute?

The newly appointed transportation secretary of the government has been somewhat receptive to the idea of mass transportation being genuinely improved. At the moment, however, Filipinos are tired of motherhood statements and would prefer to see more action in the coming years. It remains to be seen whether a new transportation secretary — who sounds a bit progressive — would really be the solution to Metro Manila’s traffic issues.

If we were to improve public transport in Metro Manila, we need leaders who have a humanistic approach — leaders who are not out of touch with the realities on the ground, and leaders who are open to dialogue beyond the usual car-centric lobbyists.

In humanistic management, there is the concept of “human flourishing”, which refers to treating people with dignity and promoting their overall development and happiness. This is something that can be applied in the context of Metro Manila’s public transport and pedestrian infrastructure. Beyond the technicalities of improving travel time and creating proper transport systems, we should also be asking: How do these things contribute to human flourishing for Metro Manila’s residents?

The EDSA Carousel, an almost-bus-rapid-transit system, is one example of a development that has contributed to human flourishing for Filipinos. It is not yet as efficient as we want it to be, but many people have been grateful for the convenience it brings.

Instead of removing the EDSA Carousel, what needs to be done is to improve it further, perhaps ultimately converting it into a full-fledged bus rapid transit system similar to Transjakarta in Indonesia, a 250 kilometer BRT system. To hear the words “EDSA BRT” would be music to many people’s ears, instead of the half-baked “Carousel”.

Another example of a development that has contributed to human flourishing is the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project. While it has yet to actually extend up to Cavite itself, this extension has made it a little easier for “people in the south” to go to the “north”.

When I tried riding the extension, the stations seemed well-organized and clean — something I hope they will maintain in the long run. In addition, people now have more transportation options due to this extension.

It could take one or two generations before Metro Manila finally catches a break with its public transport system. I may not be alive by then, but I’m glad we live in a time where many people actually care about improving the city, despite the trauma and mental pain it has brought us.