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How To Explore Metro Manila

How to explore Metro Manila with its vastness, long highways, big and small streets, traffic rules and crazy traffic? This question bugged me since 15 years ago when I first set foot here (Manila). Then in 1996 when I came back here for a three-weeks training and in 2001 with a three-week audit assignment and an impending transfer to the Makati Office.

I transferred job late in 2001, in a company whose head office is in Cebu, but with a large Manila branch. Since then, being an HO guy, I’ve been a regular visitor to Manila mostly on a two or three-day visits. To explore Manila with an experienced driver is easy. We have that in our office. You get to avoid crazy traffic and insane drivers. In some cases, we ride a taxi. Riding a taxi is also convenient but you have to be wary of overcharging with fast meters, or fixed fees. Public utility jeepneys, V-hire (or what they call FX, even if it’s a Mitsubishi adventure) and buses are also available. Then there is the MRT and the LRT. But I never got to ride on those when in business trips.

A few weeks ago, my transfer to Manila was finally decided, though I was told beforehand a year ago about the possibility. I came to Manila last Wednesday with my wife, who was very reluctant about the relocation. She’s a Cebuana, and had been in Manila once before, but only for an airport transfer. On our arrival at the office, we we’re greeted by a very warm welcome from my Manila staff. At least it is a comfort to know that you are accepted.

But as we arrived at our rented place, we sat down, thanked God for the safe trip and wondered how we are going to explore Metro Manila in the next few days. I got a big vehicle alright, but I don’t have any idea how to get to the places I’ve been to before, and those must-visit sites. Here is what to when exploring Manila (this is what we did in our first week here):

1. Buy a map – I bought a map many months ago which can’t even contain the whole Metro Manila in once page. My wife and I made sure we brought it with us. We laid the whole thing in our bed and figured out where in the map we are. We identified the streets we passed by, and the malls we’ve been to. Of course, there is the Mall of Asia (MOA). We looked for the famous streets and the MRT and LRT (Light Rail Transit) routes. MRT traverses EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue), and LRT at Taft Ave. The two merge at Taft Avenue cor. EDSA, which just a jeepney ride away from MOA.

2. Ask around – I kept on asking our company driver how to get to places. Since I will now be driving on my own, I should keep in mind a lot of things, like:
a. Coding – Depending on the plate number of the vehicle you are using, there are days in the week wherein you can’t enter certain cities on certain hours. I think it is from 7am to 7pm on weekdays, and a window from 10am to 3pm. I think for Makati City, it’s really from 7 to 7.
b. Yellow lanes – There are lanes which are intended for jeepneys and buses only. Traffic enforcers apprehend you when you cross these lanes.
c. U-turn areas – One of my problems in traversing EDSA are the U-turn areas. When we went to SM Megamall last Sunday, I had no idea where to turn right, and where to go back to Baclaran.
d. Seat belts – Wearing seatbelts is a must here. In Cebu, we easily get away with it.
e. Short cuts – In order not to get stuck with heavy traffic, we must know the shortcuts. Here in Parañaque, they say that the shortcuts are in the villages. One must have village stickers to pass through.

3. Look out for the Signs – I don’t mean miraculous signs. Just some street signs. Metro Manila streets are filled with these. If you know or referred to a street which you can’t find in the map or in the signs, be sure to inquire of its new name. e.g. Buendia (Gil Puyat), Pasong Tamo (Chino Roces).

4. Never be afraid to explore – When my wife and I went to 168 Mall last Saturday, I already knew that parking there is almost impossible. So we just left my vehicle parked at MOA, rode a jeep to EDSA and then boarded the LRT. I asked the guard what station we should drop off. He said that we drop off at UN Avenue and then ride a jeep going to Divisoria. We followed his instructions, but at Divisoria, since the traffic was heavy, we dropped off at the wrong place. Good thing there’s the ever-reliable pedicab who brought us to 168 Mall at a hefty P20 per person. When we’re done with 168, we roamed around the surrounding buildings and found the Tutuban Center. I’ve been to the place before and it really changed a lot. After the days malling experience, we just retraced our route back to MOA, boarding the LRT at D. Jose station. But instead of getting down at EDSA station, we reached Baclaran. We had to walk our way back to find a jeep to MOA.

Yesterday, my wife went back to Divisoria alone. I dropped her off at EDSA LRT. She used the same route we had last Saturday, but instead of finding 168 Mall, she reached the more crowded Divisoria Mall. On her way home, she dropped off at EDSA, asked around and found the jeepneys to Sucat.

In the middle of our journeying, we had our wrong turns, but discovered a lot of things along the way. Exploring Metro Manila is not as easy as a day trip to Cebu. There are a lot of places here that I still have to discover and see for myself. Next time, I’ll explore these places:

1. Oceanarium
2. The Fort
3. Rockwell
4. Fort Boni
5. Greenhills
6. Quiapo
7. UP Diliman
8. Tagaytay
9. Enchanted Kingdom
10. Subic and many more…

For the meantime, I’ll go back to Cebu tonight and enjoy a three-day weekend break. My wife and I really missed Cebu.

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Tags: Cebu, Manila, Travel   Posted in Cebu, Manila, Travel