Living in the Philippines: The Worst Things about Commuting in the Philippines

“The daily activity that contributes most to happiness is having dinner with friends. The daily activity that detracts most from happiness is commuting. Eat more. Commute less” –David Brooks

If you have lived in the Philippines for a significant amount of time, you probably heard about the horror stories as regards the Manila traffic where commuting is said to be the worst.

Unfortunately, the traffic is something most locals need to content with every single day. Most employees would already be stressed out even before they make it to the office owing to the horrible commuting conditions. It does not matter where you work as there are various chokepoints all over Metro Manila that make it such a hassle for your average commuter to get through. It does not matter whether you are driving or taking a public utility vehicle either, the amount of stress will be just about the same and negotiating with traffic will always be a cumbersome aspect of every Manileño's life.

The stress of this everyday occurrence could have been mitigated had it been for better commuting conditions. Unfortunately, as every commuting passenger in the metropolis knows, the horrible commuting conditions are Metro Manila further aggravates that already terrible traffic gridlocks. Whether you are traveling from Makatito BGC or even just learning how to commute to BGC, you will quickly realize just how bad the commuting conditions are.

Given that one of the public transportation benefits is mitigating your local travel expenses, it seems like the conditions you will inevitably subject yourself under on your commute vastly outweighs the advantages. Sure, there might be things you can doto entertain yourself in traffic but that in no way alleviates the seemingly taxing routine we do daily to get to work. In any case, here are some of the things that make commuting in Metro Manila so terrible insomuch that at times it is better to stay at home than waste your time and energy in the process:

Bumper-to-bumper traffic

This scenario is already a given and a common occurrence in the Philippines' capital. At its very worse, it can take you anywhere between three to four hours to reach your destination. Just imagine what you can do with that time. Traffic has gotten so bad insomuch that even waking up early to make it to your work on time is no longer a feasible option for most. Instead, all you can do is hope that your client or your boss is stuck in traffic as well.

Long queues

Even if you are not the type to drive, you are still not excluded from the daily commute stress either. Sure, you might want to give your cars a rest today and board the local train. Unfortunately, you are not the only one with this idea. Do not be surprised to see a long queue when you reach the MRT or LRT station as there are a lot of motorists waiting their turn to board as well. On rush hours, you can expect queues to be even longer.

Lack of public restrooms

Apart from the shortage of functional public restrooms have, it seems like most public restrooms in commuting stations are under unsanitary conditions. It makes it even more difficult for the average commuter as they cannot be picky about where to go lest they want to delay relieving themselves for another couple of hours or so (which can seem impossible). 

Picky taxi drivers

Boarding taxis does not exempt you from Metro Manila's heavy traffic and dire commuting conditions especially since taxi drivers are so picky about their passengers nowadays. Despite having a direct competition with ride-hailing applications and services, some taxi drivers will still adamantly select only those passengers at their comfort and convenience. Even worse, they would ask you for an extra fee on top of what they are already charging you.

Pollution

A direct consequence of Metro Manila's perpetual Carmageddon is the worsening conditions of the city. Metro Manila's pollution has gotten progressively worse over the days that it's  highly recommended for commuters to wear masks as they make their way around the city. The pollution has gotten so bad that you would often feel the urge to take a bath every hour after leaving the house to go on your daily commute.

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Condo Living: Things to Keep in Mind When Raising Kids in Condos

“Discipline is helping a child solve a problem. Punishment is making a child suffer for having a problem. To raise problem solvers, focus on solutions not retribution.”-L.R. Knost

With the increasing prices of prime real estate nowadays, more and more people are looking into housing alternatives. Among the myriad of options is condo living which apparently is a crowd favorite—especially in the Philippines. After all, in this time and age wherein condo expenses in the country have become reasonable, it is more financially sound and reasonable to pay a monthly premium for a condo which you would then already own than rent every single month. Apart from that, condominium payment terms have become rather flexible that what was once viewed as a luxury afforded only by the wealthy is now within the means of more Filipinos. In this regard, more and more homeowners are opting to live in a condo.

After all, living in condos give homeowners more leverage in terms of convenience and accessibility insomuch that they need not go far for things such as groceries, entertainment and the like. Indeed, in the Philippines condo living has become the norm that you can find a condo development in almost every nook and cranny in any major Philippine cities. More importantly, these condo developments are emerging in districts and communities that are pretty much like mini cities themselves. One such example would be Circuit Makati condos where everything is within reach---from malls, offices, to even schools. With more and more homeowners opting to live in condos, it should come as no surprise that many kids would inevitably be raised in condos as well.

Keep in mind however, that rearing children in condominiums is drastically different from raising them in a conventional home. In this regard, you need to be sensitive of your children’s needs and may even need to make certain lifestyle adjustments to ensure that the environment of your condo would suit the needs of your child. In any case, here are some of the indispensable tips to keep in mind when you are raising children in condos:

    Do not bore your children

Your children will be naturally restless and playful. Unfortunately, looking for opportunities and avenues for play might prove to be a challenge in small spaces such as in the case of a condo unit. In this regard, it is imperative that you do not keep your child holed up in your condo for too long especially since most of them would throw tantrums if they are constrained to staying in one spot. Similarly, incorporate various activities into playtime in such a way that they would not feel repetitive. Allow them to enjoy the sunshine as well by accompanying them to the outdoor play area which would encourage them to be physical as well.

   Take your child to a nearby park

Outdoor exercise is essential to the growth and health of your child. More importantly, outdoor exercise helps them interact with nature and would inspire curiosity in what surrounds them. Take your kids to a near park and engage in fitness activities yourself such as jogging, walking and biking. However, if you want to unwind and relax, sit by a shade and share some stories that would enrich his or her knowledge.

   Buy an appropriate stroller

 Strollers are excellent for carrying your little tots around or basically taking them anywhere with you. Unfortunately, in limited spaces such as condos, your stroller choices might be rather limited. In this regard, make sure to have a stroller that is neither too big to push around in your condo unit nor too small that there would not be much space for your toddler. Go for a medium-sized stroller that would fit inside your elevators just right so as not to have a difficult time taking your child around and would not have you struggling with your baby’s stuff as well.

    Coordinate with security

 While security in condos remains rather tight, you might never know who might come barging in whenever you leave your child alone. In cases such as these, remind your kids to ring the security guard in the condo lobby to ring any visitors you might have through the intercom. More importantly, inform the security personnel if you are expecting any guests within the day and not to let any unauthorized person into your home.

    Inform and orient your kids about the fire exits 

 Another crucial thing to keep in mind when raising children in a condo is to have them know where the fire exit is. Guide them through the hallways and show them where they should exit whenever a fire occurs. Understandably, you would not be in the house with your children all the time which makes it imperative to inform them of where the location of the fire exits are in your building to expedite an evacuation should there be any emergencies. More importantly, you should teach them what to do in case there are emergencies such as fires and earthquakes that would prompt them to vacate your condo unit.

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