During summer, we Filipinos are so mobile. Most businesses are at their peak so business people have to move here and there in an effort to meet heightened demand. The result, so many get stranded on the road because public utility vehicles are often full, to the brim—literally. Stand up on the side of McArthur Highway and try to catch a bus going up to Baguio and you will be baked for hours under the sun before a bus from Manila would come by with a vacant seat for you. If you happen to pass by any bus station in Baguio any time of the day, chances are you would be a witness to snaking lines of people waiting for their bus to go home to the lowlands. Such lines would slowly taper off as the rainy season arrives.
In Baguio City, however, the lines of jeepney passengers would lengthen as the rains come. As darkness descends upon the city, Irisan passenger lines would be snaking on the side of the road near Rizal Park; the same thing with passengers for parts of the city near Tuba and to Poblacion, Tuba itself whose lines would spill over to Abanao St.; the queues of passengers to Camp 7, Mines View, etc., originating from Carantes St. would end up occupying a big chunk of the foot of Session Road near the DBP building; those bound also for BGH and Campo Sioco would develop bulging varicose veins enduring snaking queues waiting for jeepneys that would arrive every now and then; etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
These passengers would guard their spots in the queues, rain or shine or in darkness. Yes, they would endure the rain and many of them would arrive at their homes just before midnight.
For those who can afford to take a cab, they would be lining the side of streets from Abanao just below City Hall, all the way to the top of Session Road. They would wait for hours.
The same scenario is true in other parts of the country with Metro Manila having the worst sights of stranded passengers. Imagine such dire situation in all highly urbanized areas in these islands and what emerges is a tragedy called Philippines.
And what did the government—local and national do about it— nothing. At least, nothing effective.
As far as Baguio City is concerned, why can’t our local officialdom think out of the box to solve the problem. It only happens during rush hours especially at night.
One way perhaps is for the city to negotiate with the Land Transporation and Regulatory Board to issue franchises to vehicle operators who can field units during rush hours wherever or whenever there are stranded passengers. Special permits can be issued for such vehicles (cabs or jeepneys) which will operate at limited hours of the day.
Moreover, jeepney associations must be regularly monitored so their members would be on the road at critical times. One grade 5 pupil in Baguio City was stranded for his failure to get a jeepney ride for home after school even after standing on the roadside for hours. He started crying (who would not have?) when darkness fell and no ride yet was forthcoming. Luckily, he knew how to get home and he was brave enough to walk all the way home.
The next morning, his father who was out of town for business that night, found out that the members of the jeepney association plying that route had a party where almost all the members got drunk and did not perform their obligation to the riding public.
Verily, their franchises should have been cancelled outright.**