BUS BAN
TITLE: BUS BAN
TAMBUCHO TALE # 46
DESTINATION: TALABA,
BACOOR CITY
TRT: ABOUT 45 MINS
Today marks the implementation day of the provincial bus ban which the local governments and
MMDA deem to be the best solution to address the heavy traffic along EDSA. This means no more province-bound buses are allowed to enter EDSA. For a Caviteña like me, this is heartbreaking news. Gone were the Jasper, Saulog, San Agustin and Erjohn & Almark buses that save us time and money from the typically tiring travels from the metro. To top it off, this
Kapamilya just decided to cease renting space in Project 4 and go
uwian to
Bacoor City everyday.
Actually, leaving Cavite is not an issue for me. From Zapote Kalinisan, I can take a jeepney that would take me to Baclaran (P15). From Zapote Kabila, I can take an airconditioned bus (P18) or a jeepney (P15) that would reach the same destination. From there, I'll take a jeepney to Taft-MRT station (P8) then alight at Quezon Avenue-MRT station (P15 currently and I dread the impending MRT fare hike). But what made me feel upset is the sight of fellow pedestrians crossing from the foot bridge, waiting for buses and taking a long walk to Baclaran. Under the rain, mind you. I could just imagine the hassle this had caused - from employees trying to get to their offices, students to attend their classes and call center agents wanting to go home and sleep right away. I wonder if Chairman Francis Tolentino
can still smile like that if he's tried bus-hopping himself on a daily basis.
Stranded here, there and everywhere! Photo obtained
here.
Now let's talk about my commute home earlier. Before the bus ban, I normally board a Batangas-bound bus (BSC) located just below Taft-MRT station and alight at Talaba. (P25). Out of curiosity, my best friend and I took a jeepney to the SouthWest Provincial Bus Terminal in Coastal Mall (P10) then took another airconditioned bus to
Dasmariñas City (P25). Imagine taking this re-route for a month (P10 x 20 working days) and you got yourself P200 deduction from your budget.
What even appalled me is the absence of light posts along the walking grounds from the jeepney drop-off point to the actual bus terminal. Seems like an encouragement to the pick-pockets in the area. And to think they thought of putting up this installation of a provincial bus a few feet above the ground (sorry, I don't have photos to back this up)! Function
muna kasi bago aesthetics!
Inside the provincial bus terminal. Photo obtained
here.
The interiors of the bus terminal seemed spacious enough. But I stopped inspecting as soon as we've found our targeted bus. Actually, it felt chaotic as there were too many familiar buses and we didn't know which one to go to. "Should we go to Saulog or to San Agustin? Wait, Erjohn & Almark still have vacant seats! Ok, let's go for it!" And when we finally reached Talaba, we did a time check and realized this new route costs us the same amount of travel time (45 minutes).
I therefore conclude that, next time, we'll just take a jeepney bound to DBB-C across Heritage Hotel. It's much less of a hassle.
Change is good, they say. But I'm hoping THIS would pave the way for better traffic flow and, most importantly, speed up the extension of MRT to Cavite. As far as I am concerned, that's the only great news that can mitigate this issue.
Labels: baclaran, bacoor, BSC Golden Dragon, bus, bus ban, EDSA, Erjohn & Almark, Jasper, rain, San Agustin, Saulog, stranded
CROTCH
TITLE: CROTCH
TAMBUCHO TALE #: 38
DESTINATION: SAN NICOLAS
TRT: 15 MINS
I was down to my last jeepney ride after OT that morning. I was already seated in the
estribo and engaged in a chat with an officemate seated across me. All of a sudden, my short attention span directed me to meet the eyes of a passing baby bus (yup, the ones in Cavite) conductor outside. He yelled, "
Sakay na!" while motioning to his crotch. And... I must admit my reflex made my eyes follow his hands. Then I felt disgust spread all over my exhausted body.
Why am I so
bastusin?!
Labels: bacoor, jeepney
PROWL
TITLE: PROWL
TAMBUCHO TALE #: 36
DESTINATION: BACLARAN
TRT: 20 MINS
I was attending the Roque-Amoroso wedding in the
Village Patio that early evening. However, I had a very early call time at my friend's
salon in Kamias that morning.
I was in a daze during the moderately quick trip to Baclaran from Talaba except for the momentary interruption when the passenger seated next to me reminded the bus conductor about his change. The latter asked for his destination yet the guy in black sando reacted he gave P100 bill. The conductor didn't seem to mind and just repeated his question. After a pause, he finally answered he's bound to Pedro Gil. The conductor continued, "
Galing ka ng Naic,
diba?" My seatmate nodded.
The next thing I knew, he turned to me and asked for my mobile number. I gave him a shocked look. That's it? Asking for my digits as if it were as normal as asking for the time? He echoed his all-important inquiry. I shook my head. He turned to the window as casually as he did when he attempted to obtain my contact information.
I was relieved that my bus stop was just less than 5 minutes away. That was downright uncomfortable.
That's just weird. Sure, he probably had reasons to be attracted to my fresh aura in low-cut brown blouse, plaid shorts, slightly wet hair and
Kama sutra scent. And I was grateful for the unexpected ego boost.
But the romantic sap in me was hoping for some sort of engaging verbal foreplay like what I have experienced
here. Or something insane like getting involved in a stare down to a fellow passenger while being surrounded by distracting noise and the manic crowd fighting for space. Then the guy would wordlessly hand over his phone so you can type in your digits. Then he'd wait for you to exit the train amidst the sea of commuters and invite you to a coffee date. Assuming that's possible between two straight people, of course.
It was Valentine's Day eve and, yeah, love must be in the air. But if he really wanted to score a date, he could have at least done something else. Or asked somebody else.
Labels: baclaran, bacoor, bus
"BAGONG" BACOOR
TITLE: "BAGONG" BACOOR
TAMBUCHO TALE #: 20
DESTINATION: LIBERTAD
TRT: 20 MINS.
It was already 18:00 and I was running late again. (I've changed shifts from 21:30 to 19:30). The sight of the busy rotonda temporarily converted to a one-way street was not assuring. Traffic enforcers are fond of doing this "buhos" system, much to my annoyance.
When it was already 18:20 and the Cavite-bound vehicles continued to enjoy the go signal, my blood started to boil. There's no chance I'd log in on time! Fellow commuters echoed my "tsks" but they remained passive. I, however, was ready to explode. The nearest traffic enforcer was about 2.5 feet away, wearing his yellow-and-blue uniform that screamed BAGONG BACOOR. That probably aggravated me. Is this the town claiming they're damn ready for cityhood?!
I approached him and inquired, "Kuya, baka naman pwedeng magpadaan na kayo dito?", gesturing for the Lawton- and Baclaran-bound vehicles to have their chance. I was not sure if my tone was even friendly.
He reacted, "Maghintay kayo. Inaayos na nga namin eh. Wag kayong makialam!" Then he went on murmuring something that sounded inaudible against the parade of cars.
I got more pissed. Incompetence coupled with attitude problem, that's a Bagong Bacoor traffic enforcer for you! It took me another 5 minutes before I could take a bus.
2 days later, I was on FX on a different route (to Libertad via Niog). The traffic was smooth sailing until we reached the F.E. de Castro intersection. The sight of the yellow-and-blue BAGONG BACOOR uniform turned my eyes into tiny slits. Here we go again. I overheard a fellow passenger recount her waiting-in-vain moment in the same spot a few days ago with her friend. I stared at my wristwatch. It took 15 minutes of hardcore daydreaming to survive the long wait.
When we finally get past that major hurdle, I heard the passenger across me say, "Ang tatanga talaga ng mga 'yan! Pinagsabay tayo at 'yung mga papasok ng de Castro," I couldn't agree more.
Labels: bacoor, traffic, traffic enforcer
