Traffic in the Philippines

Hi Priscilla,

i live in Mandaluyong area. for almost 2 years spending my life here in the Philippines, i can say that the traffic is good. No violent reaction about my statement, but i lived in the capital of a country that the traffic become the 3rd worst traffic cities in the world, after mexico city and bangkok.. and that city is Jakarta.

so i have no complaint about the traffic here in metro manila. not at all. i love it.

Hi Priscilla. I live in Davao City. The traffic is beyond terrible here and in most other cities here in the Philippines. I am retired here so I don't commute back and forth to and from work. Parking spaces are difficult to find most anywhere except at the malls. The best way to avoid the problems is to ride a taxi cab. Prices are very reasonable. Let someone else worry about the driving. That way you will not have to worry about parking your car. Other forms of Public transportation are not nearly as fast or as good as a taxi.

Hi

I travel around the PI a fair bit.   traffic is pretty bad except in the totally rural areas.   traffic in cebu city for example is nearing manila levels now.     I'ts quite simple mathmatics.    filipinos have a lot of babies and in addition more now are able to afford or get into a car.

Which city or area do you live in in the Philippines, and how do you find the traffic?   I've lived in Makati for the past 38 years.

How long does it take to commute to work or run errands?   I work in the Oranbo Drive area and it takes about 1.5 hours to get to work.

Is there a rush hour in your city? What times of the day would you recommend people to avoid driving if they can?   Yes, there is rush hour from 3:30pm going north.

Are there any ways to avoid spending too much time in traffic in the Philippines?   Avoid travelling during rush hour, if at all possible.

What is parking availability and cost like?  I take the public transport.

I live in Cebu IT Park. The traffic in Cebu is pretty horrific. Beginning and end of the working day, obviously are worst. Going across the bridges to Mactan Island can be a nightmare. I think living in IT Park does spoil one a bit as there is little traffic here and many things are in walking distance. I don't commute as I am retired, I use public transport (habaj-habal for local journeys and taxi for longer ones) so parking is not a consideration

Incredibly chaos in order every where I go visit in the Philippines it's incredibly awesome!

I am retired, so no commute, but I still have to run errands.  I am not kidding when I say, I take my life in my hands every time I put my 100CC motorcycle on the road.  You better be ready for anything at any moment.  I pity those who drive a car--parking is a nightmare.  Traffic problems begin with structure or lack there of.  The roads, especially in towns and at any intersections were built for horse and calesa type traffic 100 years ago and little has changed especiallyy at the bottlenecks, I.e., any intersection.  Roads are narrow.  If they widen them frequently a sari-sari store or other tiny retail joint will spring up with people, and their assorted vehicles crowding out into the road.  Do not even mention Manila becaise that place is practically a parking lot at rush hours.  But really it is very bad experience whereever you live.  But what can you do?  You and 100 million people got to go somewhere.

I live in the city of Daet in Camarines Norte where the traffic is deplorable, terrifying and any other word that can describe the craziness of the drivers there.
The worst problem is the 2,500 tricycles that roam the city centre, they are a law unto themselves, they do not give a damn about anyone else.
But even the cars are a menace as there is no road rules in the city which makes it worse, drivers do not get any education before getting behind the drivers seat, so that elevates the problem.

To add to this confusion and chaos is that the police do not do anything about it, they are powerless because of what they think is retribution from anyone they fine.

It is a matter of 100 percent defensive driving because they come at you from every angle.

I got out and walked the last 1/4 mile in Manila the other day because the traffic was at a complete standstill. The only guy here who thinks the traffic is okay is comparing it to Jakarta. hahaha

The question should have been; when or rather how will the traffic chaos become kind of normal?
My guess is... unexpectedly soon.
How soon?
Say, in about (jaw droppng) 6 months from now.

see,,,thisss is why i moved out of Davao City to
mati city ,even in rush hour one can drive tru this very provincial city in about 10 to 15 minutes hehehe,al stores and the public market and bus terminal are less than 10 minutes walk ,i drive our Racal trike on a dayly base and ceep always an eye on trafic around me as there seems to be no rules ,but i have to say i have been driving that way no mather were i was driving becorse one never know what's in other drivers mind so it is better to drive in a defensive way to avoid acidents.
no mather what country big citys have big trafic problems,so here in
mati i found peace of mind and use the road in that state of mind .

greets Dirk

there is no traffic in alabang & makati. the whole area is a big parkinglot.

We live in Calamba City, Laguna. 

Traffic is terrible, with tricycles outnumbering everything else about 10:1.   The roads are generally very narrow, being the same width as they were 50 years ago when Calamba was a village.  The road weren't widened, and I suspect some have not been repaired in that time, either.

We live 2.5 km (about 1.5 miles) from the mall where we usually shop.  It takes anywhere between 30 minutes and 45 minutes each way.  The average speed is so slow that the needle on the speedometer rarely moves. 

We have a Nissan Cefiro with a 2.0 litre engine.  It gets around 52 litres/100 km, or 4.5 mpg.  We spend more time sitting still than moving.  On a highway trip, it gets about 8 litres/100 km or 29.4 mpg.

Tricycles just stop anywhere to pick up or let out passengers.  In the middle of the road, double parked, in the middle of an intersection, right on a corner, just wherever they want.  They do it in front of the CCTMO (Calamba City Traffic Movement Officers), and LTO officers, who do nothing.

Tricycles dart out from the kerb without looking and without caring whether anything is coming.  They do 'U' turns in front of oncoming traffic, and just generally disrupt traffic flow however they can.  They go the wrong way along one-way streets and cause general havoc everywhere they go. 

Less than 40% of tricycle drivers have a license to drive, and only about half of the tricycles are registered, but nobody enforces anything.  We have two relatives who have tricycles.  Neither of them have driving licenses, and only one of the tricycles is registered.  Another relative has been driving for a company for fifteen years doing local deliveries.  I was going to get him to drive me to the airport next month, but he told me that he doesn't have a license, and can't drive outside Calamba City! 

Jeepneys have less of an impact here because it's the tricycles that block the traffic.  Mostly the jeepneys obey rules, but they too stop without pulling to the side of the road, or in intersections, or right on a corner to let passengers in/out.

Then there are the pedestrians who just wander across the road thinking that not looking at the traffic but holding out their hand is enough to stop a moving vehicle!   About the only place you rarely get pedestrians is on a pedestrian crossing.

Parking is not a problem, and doesn't cost anything.  You can park anywhere, even blocking a lane of traffic, because everybody does it, and nobody enforces anything.  I was sitting in my car, parked quite illegally, when an LTO officer came and knocked on my window.  When I rolled it down, he smiled, and asked where I was from!

The traffic doesn't change much between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.  It's like rush hour for the whole day.

There's a local joke:  A man buys a new car, and sees a friend walking along the road.  He winds down his window and asks, 'Would you like a ride in my nice new car?"  His friend replies, "Oh, that would be lovely, but I'm in a hurry.  I should walk."

Traffic is everywhere in Philippines.
Morning Rush Hours: 7.00am to 11.30am
Afternoon Rush Hours : 4.00pm - 11.00pm

Everywhere is same, especially in Ayala, C5 & EDSA. Alabang and Antipolo still okay.
You can try to commute MRT to avoid traffic on the road. Lot place is easy to access. Jeepney is cheap between.

Hi Mike,

That's right, go with the flow.  Find a way to cope.  I love to drive but I don't drive in this country .   My sister finally took her two older siblings' advice and stopped driving in this country, too.

The problem is that if a Filipino can get away with not following the rules, he'll go for it.  And hope he doesn't get caught.

Fortunately, my work shift doesn't entail rush hour.

I have visited a number of larger cities in the world, but nowhere in my travels have I experienced the traffic nightmare worse than in the city of Manila!   If you need or want to live here, find your accommodation close to where you might work and then use the only reliable means of transportation here in the Philippines, Your two feet!
If the jeepneys must remain as a transportation mainstay, at least the exhaust pollution that these vehicles emit, should be regulated.    Because the transportation system here is so poor, everyone want to own a car, which in turn exacerbates the traffic mess.
The only long term solution is to design, construct and implement a subway system throughout greater Manila.

Which city or area do you live in in the Philippines, and how do you find the traffic?
Angeles City, Pampanga

How long does it take to commute to work or run errands?
Depends on the area of Pampanga, I have to run errands. But nothing is quick with the narrow roads, lack of courtesy, enforcement of traffic laws, etc.

Is there a rush hour in your city? Yes, but late morning 9am-11:59am can be bad, as well as 3pm-7pm.

What times of the day would you recommend people to avoid driving if they can?

I avoid driving here all the time. I had an old PNP high-ranking officer tell me several years ago, "There is an unwritten rule that the foreigner is always at fault, so be careful." So several months later, I sold my vehicle and never looked back. I commute by trike and jeep. We are also fortunate to have the Grab app to use for cheaper fares. I usually travel in the mornings and I am home by 3pm, 4:30pm at the latest. Very rarely do I go out after that time.

Are there any ways to avoid spending too much time in traffic in the Philippines?

Walk, if possible.
When I am in Manila, I also arrive early morning and if I am not in Cubao headed north by 2pm, I do not even attempt to go home. I stop and find something else to occupy my time until 9pm. Manila is the worst city(Central American countries and Indonesia included), I have driven in and it wasn't always this way, several years ago. But now, there are thousands of small scooters, added with trikes, bicycles, pedi-cabs, buses, more cars and trucks, and the polluters of air and sound: jeeps; it has made me avoid Manila, unless absolutely necessary.

What is parking availability and cost like?
Parking!!!? Really, the only safe parking is at the mall. Other than that, it is a free for all. People park any and everywhere. That is one of the reasons traffic can be so problematic. The cost is cheap, but finding a place to park is the headache. I see more malls and buildings go up, but no parking garage or parking spaces whatsoever.

acc to the American camber of commerce (abt 6 months ago) in 2 - 3 years traffic within manila will not move anymore. one big parking lot.

traffic within alabang area is horrible.

It's already a parking lot.

I avoid driving here all the time. I had an old PNP high-ranking officer tell me several years ago, "There is an unwritten rule that the foreigner is always at fault, so be careful."
This note from the above post is so true!  Expats should take note ...

Currently work at Pasay Area, near to SM Mall of Asia. I moved from EDSA to Pasay in order to avoid the massive traffic in MRT/LRT station during morning and evening rush hours. Last year 2016, traffic still okay but this year 2017 there is more people come to Manila to look for a job. Many of them jobless, so be careful when parking in open space. Do not put any valuable stuff inside the car. Possibility get your window tinted.
Usually Sunday morning is less traffic but now is same.
Especially every Monday and Friday is massive traffic everywhere in Metro Manila.

bob18 wrote:

I have visited a number of larger cities in the world, but nowhere in my travels have I experienced the traffic nightmare worse than in the city of Manila!   If you need or want to live here, find your accommodation close to where you might work and then use the only reliable means of transportation here in the Philippines, Your two feet!
If the jeepneys must remain as a transportation mainstay, at least the exhaust pollution that these vehicles emit, should be regulated.    Because the transportation system here is so poor, everyone want to own a car, which in turn exacerbates the traffic mess.
The only long term solution is to design, construct and implement a subway system throughout greater Manila.

maybe you haven't visited Jakarta yet. please go there and try the traffic especially on Monday morning or friday night.

Sounds like a fun weekend "Let's go to Indonesia and watch traffic, don't want to miss PM Friday or AM Monday."

LOL

My routes concern Bay, Los Banos, Calamba, Alabang, Nuvali and Manila.

The traffic is very bad.
While people can operate the vehicle, they have zero understanding of how to behave in traffic. Many people "bought" their licence instead of taking the driving exam.
The three worst users are the tricycles, (they insist on occupying the most left lane for overtaking, but gaining at 25 kms on the national highway), the jeepneys  (which stop anywhere they like and try to cut each other off to catch passengers) and the motor Cycles. (They swirl their ways to conquer every inch, while motor cyclist are suicidal in their high speed swerving in between cars and usually wear no helmets ( although mandatory).

In many locations traffic lights have been removed through a lobby of "traffic assistants" who we call traffic disorganisers. They create major traffic pile ups everywhere. This looks more like an employment programma at the cost of organised traffic.

The national highway between Sta Cruz and Calamba has been "under repair" for the last 7 months and no end in sight. It is called road widening, but actually it is the laying of drainage pipes.

Two lanes will go into one at various locations, while traffic although knowing this, continue to overtake on the right lane and in the end have to funnel into the left lane causing huge traffic jams.
The Los Banos intersection will take half an hour to cross.

Manila has a "color coding system" where the last digit in your license plate will determine on which day your car is not allowed on the road in Manila.

In short, best to stay home if you can.

In general the creation of infrastructure has not kept pace with the increase of population and traffic.

I live in the province too much traffic for me in Manila or Cebu  . I am in Northern Samar just off the main Highway through to Leyte and to Mindanao . Because of the ongoing Road widening it can be hazardous in areas but when it is completed to 2 lanes each way it will be a pleasure to live here  . Much More Fun in the Philippines . I have been here 8 years already

There is no traffic in Manila. The roads are actually parking lots. Three words: Overpopulation and poor infrastructure.

Traffic within the last year has worsen in Davao.
Pollution now is worsening on the street as many people are wearing masks because of the fumes

Road repairs and construction have further slowed traffic within Davao .

THE PHILIPPINE PEOPLE SHOULD DEMAND THEIR RIGHTS TOWARDS THE GOVERNMENT!

Be happy, if you are not bothered too much by the traffic in big cities of the Philippines. But in Central Manila or Cebu you will have to deal with it. It´s not that the roads are too narrow, it´s more that the technology of managing the traffic is far below the demand. Because the traffic lights are not equipped with smart traffic ruling technology (Police Officers /Traffic Enforcers instead try to beat the "war on traffic").
The Philippine economy is losing billions of Pesos every day and every Filipino (incl. all the companies) getting stucked in this traffic is (are) paying the bill of traffic ruling mismanagement in the Philippines!

Unfortunately our old (fashioned) President Duterte invests more money into hiring death squads to kill 10,000s of Filipinos instead of investing the money into developing new technologies and urgently needed police jobs like being at a crime scene, when being called - THIS would make the Philippines much safer,  more efficient and competitive in world economy (and would beat the "drug war" in an intelligent way).

JUST IMAGINE, Duterte would invest the amount of 30,000.00 PHP per dead body of his "assassination squad teams" (means 10,000 x 30,000.00 = 300,000,000.00 / 300 million PHP plus millions of PHP for knocking at people´s door - altogether probably nearly 1 billion PHP) into traffic and internet infrastructure:  THEN  Duterte would have the chance to create more jobs - and to create more jobs is the clue to solve the "drug problem" - besides making life for millions of Filipinos easier!
"It´s the economy, stupid!" already said former Pres. Bill Clinton to the old Pres. George H.W. Bush...

So the Philippine government could easily solve the traffic problem. But as long as Duterte is celebrated because of his senseless and expensive "war on drugs", he will not invest the urgently needed money into speeding up traffic and internet. He will instead stay in financing "death squads" and in offending international politicians. So, we all have the power to change this fatal development by saying what we really want - or we just keep on mourning about Duterte´s failing politics!

What's the traffic like in the Philippines? Really?? That's kind of like saying, "What's the traffic like in the US or Australia? Impossible to answer except to say it's non-existant in some areas, light in others, moderate in other areas and very congested in other areas of the Philippines.

After living in Cebu City for 2 1/2 years and having traveled to other cities and towns like Manila, Dumaguete, Davao and Puerto Princessa and south to the other end of Palawan where it's completely rural, I have seen all conditions of traffic as I mentioned in the beginning of my post.

Maybe you need to be a little more specific about which area of the Philippines you want to know about and then re-ask your question, otherwise it's impossible to answer.

Dear "tenstar",

usually five stars are already enough to lable "high quality", you are even "tenstars", but who cares?

Just read my post: I related my post to the situation in Central Manila and Cebu City!

Traffic there is a big mess! What does the government do against this traffic mess - besides wasting tax money spent to kill 10.000s of mostly drug addicts? Hon. Pres. Duterte himself admitted to be a drug addict - but should he be killed because of this? NO, we should help him to come to a drug free life in future!

Most of the assassinated people are not "drug dealers", so why does the government waste money in killing people, instead of solving the real problems (like the traffic problem) of the Philippines?
Solving the real problems would minimize people taking drugs. They cannot enjoying prosperity, as long as the economic development is NOT REALLY turning successful. I don´t mean just putting some already millionaires to become billionaires in order to tell the people: "Economy is growing at 6 % per year!" The usual Filipinos does not have 6 % more income every year, he/she only faces 6 % more traffic jam in the city areas, where job opportunities are still as low as 10,000.00 to 15,000.00 PHP / month which is not enough to catch the announced goods in the folders. Usually  Filipinos have 6 % less every year in their pockets AND WILL BE FACED OF 6 % MORE TRAFFIC EVERY YEAR!

So, we should all show the government, that caring for traffic and internet development would solve the economic problems, instead of wasting millions (or billions) of Pesos for a "war against nothing"!

Don´t get fooled again, just remember that "Imelda" is still enjoying her billions of Philippine Pesos (estimated still billions of US-Dollars - which is the factor 50) in Switzerland!

All Filipinos paid for this - do we want to pay for the benefit of our Hon. Pres. Duterte again instead of investing in traffic technology?

SAY: "NO to wasting Government (= Tax) money for "Rodrigo´s war against nothing", but SAY "Yes to real development for the Philippine people!"

I wonder if more money had been spent by previous Presidents would it have made things easier for Duterte to fix this mess?

I also wonder if the governors/administrators of the various cities had have spent the money allocated to fixing the roads instead of the money going elsewhere?

Just saying.

Actually Stacheldraht, I don't know who you are nor did I read your post. I was responding to a post that Priscilla made and her question was, "What is the traffic like in the Philippines?" which as I said in my response was impossible to answer since it wasn't zeroed in on any particular city or even an area of the Philippines.

tenstarr wrote:

Actually Stacheldraht, I don't know who you are nor did I read your post. I was responding to a post that Priscilla made and her question was, "What is the traffic like in the Philippines?" which as I said in my response was impossible to answer since it wasn't zeroed in on any particular city or even an area of the Philippines.

Good idea to not read said post.

I got an email directly from Patricia asking a specific question. What does that have to do with you and why are you weighing in on something that has nothing to do with you?

@

Yes i see phillipines is good city
There people is good and trafic also so good
I like
Thanks

the only way to deter people from illegal parking and other traffic violations is to hit them where it hurts the most.. their pockets.