The EDSA Bus Carousel has been established to allow commuters to travel faster, separating from the regular heavy traffic EDSA has. Sounds like a dream for daily commuters who sacrifice their time waking up very early in the morning just to wait for a single public vehicle.
It became an aid for local commuters, especially for those who are from northbound going southbound or vice versa, however, due to this being a sensational aid for Filipino people, the overcrowded and long queues became the problem. Citizens had been waiting for this to be resolved, yet, instead of the government focusing on making a better solution on this, they introduced ‘Free Wi-Fi for All’ scattered across all 17 stations.
This became a focus of backlash, although it may seem a great idea, a way for commuters to ease their boredom while waiting for the bus to arrive, we cannot deny the fact that this won't help the problem that Filipinos face in their everyday commuting life. It is far beyond what is supposed to be the solution for the long running issues of crowd management.
While it promotes productivity and communication given that we are in a digital age, the government could've focused on the comfort daily passengers should have. Proper management and better infrastructure could've been the main focus instead of installing internet modems.
Internet connectivity is ideal, yes, but not to the point it should be the priority rather than what passengers really need. What Filipino commuters need is comfort, a well-arranged queue, and much shorter waiting time; a solution that will put an end to the uncomfortable heat and crowded place that daily passengers face. EDSA Bus Carousel is a transport service, and not an internet cafe.
Written by Jannah Jamila Dang-awan (Begonia), Insight PH
Jannah Jamila Dang-awan (Begonia), Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
