DAVAO CITY – Netizens here disputed the findings of the TomTom Traffic Index that traffic in this city is heavier than in Manila.
TRAFFIC in Davao City during Christmas in 2022. (Keith Bacongco)
They admitted traffic congestion here but asserted that it is significantly lighter than the nation’s capital.
The TomTom Traffic Index ranked Davao City and Manila as the eighth and 14th slowest cities in the world. Davao City was the third most congested city in the world while Manila was 27th.
Dexter Gallega, a public utility jeepney owner and driver who hails from Tibungco District here, said traffic exists anywhere in the world, and Davao City is not exempted.
“But if we compare which city is more congested, it’s Manila. Here in Davao, traffic occurs only during peak hours. Meanwhile, it is always congested in Manila,” Gallega said in the local dialect.
Gallega, who lived Manila for almost two decades and resident here for 21 years, attested the difference.
He said that whenever he travels to Bajada and return to Sasa, the only area with heavy traffic is Lanang. Thus, he said, it is inaccurate to say Davao City is heavily congested.
A commuter, Quinn Florence Astillo of Ikigai Animation Studio, described that some roads in Davao City are heavily congested during peak hours and less congested on weekends.
“I believe promoting Davao further is not advisable as the city is becoming overcrowded. Davao is not yet prepared for a large-scale relocation of people from other cities,” Astillo said in jest.
Aldren Luis Dana, a first year college student, said traffic here is less severe than in Manila. He added that there are areas with heavy congestion but only during weekday mornings and afternoons.
“These traffic issues mainly occur during peak hours. The ongoing road constructions have also contributed to the traffic congestion, but that is just part of the city’s development,” Dana said.
Karren Nylee Aton, a master teacher in a government school, disagreed with the findings of the TomTom Traffic Index. She pointed out that the photo in the news was not taken in Davao.
“It came to my impression that they were paid to post fake news. I was in Manila for a long time before going back to Davao. The media should also verify the report's accuracy,” Aton said.
“It never takes more than an hour to travel from point A to B in Davao. I lived in Manila for years, and the traffic there is much worse,” Mey Belle, a content creator, said on Facebook.
Belle said the travel from point A to B within Manila often takes three to four hours daily. She added that she cannot help but wonder how much has been paid to mislead people.
Jun Abines, a content creator, posted in his official Facebook page that the traffic congestion photo used in several online news is EDSA-Guadalupe in Makati City, not Davao City.
According to the TomTom Traffic Index, Davao City had a 49 percent congestion level, meaning travel times were 49 percent longer than when traffic flowed freely.
The global survey found that driving 10 kilometers in Davao City takes an average of 32 minutes and 59 seconds, making it the eighth slowest city globally.
During rush hours, Davao City drivers lose an average of 107 hours yearly due to delays. Drivers here spend roughly six days in traffic throughout 2024, TomTom Traffic Index data said.
Other cities in the Philippines also have significant congestion, with Manila ranking 27th and Caloocan 39th.
Mexico City topped the list with 52 percent congestion, followed by Bangkok, Thailand, at 50 percent.
The TomTom Index measures traffic in 500 cities and metropolitan areas across 62 countries by looking at congestion, travel times, and the hours commuters lose due to traffic congestion.