MRT Versus Bus

There has been that debate on the MRT fares for a time now, right? And I even had my take on that in this note, remember?

Well, here is a real deal experience… I enjoyed a fine dinner with family over at Cyma in Trinoma. And after that, I told everyone (we’re all from different parts of QC) I’d be fine going home to my temporary abode of 1 week over at BGC. Even boasted that the MRT and the Fort Bonifacio Buses were a great and convenient combination. Alas, When I reached the North Avenue Station, the last train had just departed. Damn!

So, I went down to EDSA and looked for a bus that would take me to Makati. There was plenty, and I even had a hard time choosing what I thought was cleanest and most comfortable. Still too many choices, so I hopped on one that had a lot of window seats vacant. Nice looong trip. It was like flying from Manila to Taipei – in terms of time consumed, I mean, when it was just from Trinoma to SM Makati. BUT, the fare was P35. Yes, THIRTY FIVE PESOS when that should have just been P14 at the MRT.

What is more expensive to acquire and deploy, a bus or a rail coach? Now do I need to wonder why the transport authorities are wailing that the MRT and LRT are losing millions? Its high time they raise the fares to somewhere higher than the buses. Or high time they lower the bus fares (nge, is that possible?). Anyway, the things I learned from Ma’am Solita (yes, your Kumareng Winnie) tells me that there is something wrong somewhere in your economic forces. And that the law of supply and demand should be the basic consideration. Ibang usapan na kung madaming naghihikahos sa kalakhang maynila!

Oh well, the beautiful transport system of our times…