Transportation in Metro Manila

An American trolley in a Manila street, 1905
Canoes in a river in Manila, circa pre-1935

The transportation system in Metro Manila covers the road network, rail network, ferries, ports and airports located within the metropolitan Manila area. Road transportation in Metro Manila is diverse, composed of many types of private and public transport vehicles. These include taxis, buses, jeepneys, tricycles (auto rickshaws) and pedicabs. In some areas, especially in Divisoria and large public markets, two-stroke motors are fitted in the pedicabs and are used for goods transport. Regardless of modernity, horse-drawn kalesas are still used in the streets of Binondo and Intramuros. Ridesharing services such as Grab also operate within Metro Manila.[1]

Rail transport was a historically important mode of transport in Manila and its surrounding areas, with both the Philippine National Railways (PNR) and Tranvía systems serving numerous parts capital and the region. However, these systems declined post-World War 2 due to various factors and were replaced by road-based modes of transportation.[2] The PNR Metro Commuter Line, a commuter rail service connecting Metro Manila to the adjacent province of Laguna has been in service since 1970. A modern rapid transit system was established in 1984 with the LRT Line 1 which was followed by LRT Line 2 and MRT Line 3. Additional rail lines such as MRT Line 7 the Metro Manila Subway and the Makati Intra-city Subway are planned or under construction.[3]

Private car ownership is significant and has grown over time.[4] In recent years, however, the Philippine government has been pushing to improve the mass transit system through various infrastructure projects,[5] hoping to solve the interlinked problems of transportation, land use and environment.[6]

Transport management in the region is decentralized, with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) all responsible for managing the system in the region.

  1. ^ "Why GrabTaxi?". Grab.
  2. ^ Satre, Gary L. (June 1998). "The Metro Manila LRT System—A Historical Perspective" (PDF). Japan Railway and Transport Review. 16: 33–37. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2006. Retrieved May 8, 2006.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Love of cars and hatred of traffic". archives.bworldonline.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2021. Alt URL
  5. ^ "Government keen on improving public transport system". Philstar. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)