ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider Metro Manila embraces transit-oriented growth amid traffic woes—Colliers

Metro Manila embraces transit-oriented growth amid traffic woes—Colliers

Published Mar 30, 2026 03:27 pm

Metro Manila’s rapid urbanization is driving the rise of transit-oriented developments (TODs), with office, retail, and residential projects increasingly clustering around major transport hubs, according to property consultancy Colliers Philippines.

In a report published on Monday, March 30, Colliers Philippines director Kevin Jara, research manager Kath Taburada, and market analyst Alexandra Navarez highlighted that traffic congestion continues to weigh heavily on Metro Manila.

They noted that workers spend an average of two to three hours commuting daily, and Manila ranked 40th globally and 12th in Asia for congestion in the 2025 TomTom Traffic Index. Commuters lose an estimated 188 hours annually—about seven full days—resulting in roughly ₱27.2 billion in economic losses.

The report cited that Colliers’ 2026 Asia-Pacific Workplace Insights also revealed that “employee convenience, particularly proximity to transport, ranks as the top consideration among occupiers in the Philippines when selecting their office locations.” While cost and general proximity remain factors, transport access consistently ranked highest.

Colliers Philippines also pointed to a “hybrid paradox”: despite 67 percent of organizations in the Philippines implementing hybrid work arrangements, 82 percent still required specific in-office days. The consultancy said commute time, cost, and inconvenience remain leading barriers to onsite work, underscoring that the quality and predictability of commutes strongly influence workplace attendance.

As occupiers prioritize locations that reduce commute time, developers have accelerated their shift toward TODs, Colliers Philippines said. “TODs position mass transit at the heart of its development, which allows commercial, residential, and institutional spaces to cluster around rail lines, bus rapid transit (BRT), and intermodal transport hubs.”

Colliers Philippines data showed that 62 percent of 2025 Metro Manila office deals occurred within one kilometer of transit hubs or stations, indicating that transport proximity is increasingly a requirement. Many occupiers are also positioning near future transport developments.

The report cited successful examples, including One Ayala in Makati City, a 2.8-hectare (ha) development integrating retail, offices, and direct connections to Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) Ayala Station and McKinley Exchange Terminal. Its office towers are fully leased, demonstrating how TODs can attract tenants and support vibrant mixed-use communities, the consultancy said.

Another example is Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), developed by Megawide Construction Corp., which links commuters from southern Luzon to Metro Manila while providing office towers for business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, shipping companies, and government agencies. Colliers Philippines noted that PITX is studying a 1.5-ha expansion to meet rising passenger demand, highlighting its strategic role in southern mobility.

Colliers Philippines also noted that SM City North EDSA features a dedicated busway concourse that improves access for commuters across Quezon City as well as Bulacan and Rizal provinces. Its integration with TriNoma Mall and MRT-3 North Avenue Station demonstrates how transport infrastructure can boost foot traffic and efficiency in major mixed-use developments, the consultancy added.

The property consultancy said upcoming projects are expected to further accelerate TOD growth. Unified Grand Central Station in Quezon City will connect Light Rail Transit Line (LRT-1), MRT-3, MRT-7, and Metro Manila Subway, featuring a 13,700-square-meter (sqm) concourse and intermodal connections. Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange within Ayala Land Inc.’s (ALI) Arca South township will accommodate 160,000 passengers daily and link Metro Manila Subway and North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), it added.

The Metro Manila Subway Project, a 33.1-kilometer (km) underground railway with 17 stations from Valenzuela City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), is designed to carry 1.5 million passengers daily and reduce travel time from Quezon City to NAIA to 35 minutes, Colliers Philippines noted.

To fully realize TOD benefits, Colliers Philippines recommended coordinated strategies. “Fast-track infrastructure projects: Timely delivery of major transport projects is essential and critical…” the report said, emphasizing the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act in streamlining right-of-way (ROW) acquisition.

The consultancy also advocated strengthening public-private partnerships (PPPs), improving first- and last-mile experiences, and elevating workplace experiences. “First and last mile experiences include protected bike lanes, accessible walkways, shuttle loops, and efficient PUV [public utility vehicle] links,” the report said, while offices should provide adequate workspace, wellness areas, and technology to support productivity.

Related Tags

Colliers Philippines transit-oriented development (TOD)
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.