In and around the metropolitan area, most of the talk when in comes to mobility is about how bad the traffic is or how to integrate cycling and motorbikes into the roadscape or how badly we need more public transport, roads and infrastructure. These are all valid issues, of course, and I am hopeful that solutions are on the horizon.

What I have not heard much about – if anything at all – is how to promote the plight of the ordinary pedestrian.

In my view, mobility is defined as moving people and, by extension, their lives. It’s not about reducing traffic congestion to improve the flow of vehicles or building more roads to reduce vehicle density. The goal is not accommodating more vehicles on the road or getting from point A to point B in less time. The goal is about elevating the quality of life of people by allowing them to make the best use of their time and providing them choices to make this happen. That would, quite naturally, include walking.

I am an avowed “walker”. Perhaps, that is an offshoot of my having lived a good 15 years in Singapore and three years in Japan. In these two countries, walking was always an option for getting places, time and weather permitting. As much as I could, I would walk. I very easily reached the supposedly ideal 10,000 daily step-count.

I have to say, though, that the centrality of the pedestrian in Singapore and Japan was all too evident in their urban development. The city planners made it easy for pedestrians to walk. Zebra crossings abound and are positioned thoughtfully, deliberately taking pedestrian safety and road traffic into account. Lighting, accessibility and the design of pedestrian lanes were obviously forethoughts in their planning. Convenient underground or raised walkways are also provided in consideration of safety and vehicle flows. As importantly, pedestrians paid heed to the wisdom of the planners. It was easy because, quite obviously, their safety and convenience were designed from the viewpoint of a pedestrian.

The only aspect that might have been retrofitted are provisions for the physically-challenged or seniors. In fact, I recall that when Japan hosted the “2020” Olympics, one of the common observations in the lead-up to the event was that accessibility for the handicapped was less than ideal. In Singapore, a number of the elevated walkways also lack provisions for the elderly or disabled. But, clearly, works are on the way to progressively remedy these omissions.

Now for my walking experience in Metro Manila. Unfortunately, it has not been as seamless nor encouraging. I escalated my walking activities in the metro during COVID, when public transport was severely curtailed and mobility was discouraged. I took to walking as a form of exercise. I challenged myself to walk major distances in order to make up for the high levels of inactivity brought about by quarantine. The farthest I walked was 36 kms. – a roundtrip walk from EDSA/Shaw where I live to slightly passed the Balintawak market and back. I traversed EDSA at six in the morning and ended back home only by midday.

I had other walkathons. Again, from home near EDSA/Shaw to GT Tower International on Ayala Avenue, onwards to the Mall of Asia and back through EDSA. I also walked from home to Marikina and back. With the very much reduced vehicular traffic, the discomfort of inhaling tailpipe fumes was quite tolerable, particularly since we were required to keep face masks and shields on.

What really made my walks challenging, though, were the conditions of the walkways, crossings and respect for pedestrians or, more precisely, the lack of it. Generally, I would say the experience was okay but you just had to keep your wits about you. Some of the walkways are uneven or even unpaved. There are uneven surfaces that could easily cause you to trip, break an ankle or bruise a knee. If you did not pay attention, you could possibly run into a tree or an electric post that would unexpectedly rise in the middle of the walkway. Occasionally, walkways would narrow suddenly so that you had to walk sideways to get through. And the sanitation or cleanliness  left much to be desired.

From my home to office in GT Tower on Ayala is only eight kms. It’s an easy walk, actually. Given better circumstances, I would walk it. Sadly, it would be extremely challenging.

Despite the challenges, there are multitudes of Filipino pedestrians. If we made it easier and more convenient, there could be more. It would be good for health. It would help decongest roads and reduce carbon emissions. Just as cycling has gained popularity and attention, I would give walking a fair chance, too.

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