So I got off at the new Redemptorist LRT Station today

Is this what progress feels like?

While it takes a while for Manila to feel like Singapore - not 3-6 Months - unlike some fanatics of a former president would like to believe, riding the LRT towards the 5-newly opened stations was a very hopeful experience. Makes you think that a Thing that actually works and makes our lives Easier - is possible and achievable in a city where a lot of people are resigned to things not working and fending for themselves.

Its really been a while since a palpable infrastructure project has opened, and I am hoping that more people who would usually confine themselves in the comfort of their cars, would give riding trains and Public Transportation a chance. Like if you can ride trains when you travel to Japan, you can finally do that here! (You can do it guys, I believe in you!) Here’s a dignified and time-saving solution to your daily Commute!

Or not really. There’s still some kinks here and there - and it would be a while before we’re removed from Car Centrism - but hey I’ll take progress over no action anytime.

Coming from Manila, I can afford to actually make it a habit to go to Baclaran’s Redemptorist Church every Sunday because of the LRT. Its more or less an hour of commute from where I was staying, with the last leg being a 10 minute walk (or a 5-minute sprint!) from Baclaran station to the actual church, dodging the e-Bikes and the Bottled-Water vendors if I’m being late for mass.

Now with the new station opened right across Baclaran Church - I could get rid of this 10 minute walk, which could be annoying especially during the rainy season when it gets flooded and keeping your feet dry is an added challenge, which makes things exciting or exhausting, depending on the day’s mood.

For today’s mass I left the house for 9:30 AM Mass at roughly 8:30. Getting at Pedro Gil station at 8:50 AM it was ample time to make it to the 9:30 AM mass.

Signage in the Pedro Gil station Advertising the 5 Newly Opened stations, which can be accessed starting November 16, 2024.

It felt exciting not getting off Baclaran Station, which formerly was the terminus station of LRT1. This was the routine and now we’re headed to the new station. Really felt giddy when the Train Announcement said: “Ang Susunod na istasyon ay Redemptorist-ASEANA Station” from then “Baclaran Station. Ito na po ang Huling istasyon.”

And here’s what it looks like in Redemptorist-ASEANA station after getting off:

Clean, not that much people yet, felt like a starting on a New Slate.

And finally, a fucking Escalator on the LRT! A win! Since the LRT was built in the 80s and began operating in ‘84 there probably wasn’t any escalators in almost 40 years! Millennials with knee problems (a.k.a me) used to have a hard time scaling the stairs of the original Bahay-na-Bato Manosa designed stations, and now there are Escalators!! I hope they would install some in the original stations but then the logistics of it would probably be complicated and not worth pursuing.

The station is cradled between Redemptorist (Baclaran) Church and ASEANA city built on a reclaimed land right across. And well, being a reality of a Car-Centric City - I will still have to scale that grey Overpass to get to the Church, instead of walking on Level Ground in a Pedestrian Lane. It does cut the 10 min walk from the former Baclaran station probably down to 2-3 minutes - IF THE OVERPASS WAS F**NG OPEN!

OPEN THE OVERPASS JUSKO!

Instead I have to walk over to the old overpass which was an additional 5-10 minutes of walking and climbing, depending on your fitness level.

Baclaran Church Finally at around 9:15 AM

I rode in the same station to make my way back to Pedro Gil and there were noticibly more passengers riding the Northbound train. The last terminus station is Dr.Santos - which is in Sucat where a lot of Villages and Subdivisions are built. Riding this train would probably be a relief to the residents of these areas. I do hope it lessens Car Volume and lessen traffic and save everyone time.

The great feature of these New Stations is having a Concourse Area, where people don’t have to exit the station to transfer to the other direction.

When Phase 2 of this is completed, it will also extend up until Bacoor, Cavite and Las Pinas. Never thought I will see the day where it would less of a hassle to go from North to South of Manila - which is notoriously difficult by car given Manila’s traffic. Pretty excited for opportunities, connections and successful Love Stories (?) this would bring to the Southies and the Etivac-ers this easier mode of transport would bring.