Nowadays, as the Filipino nation have embraced the reality of having one of the worst vehicular traffic system, I realized that travel time has become a serious part of my daily schedule, given that I work in Makati and reside in Manila. But instead of frowning and cursing the traffic enough to embarrass the Lord Almighty, I have resulted to many different ‘activities’ that I now enjoy while stuck in the middle of the dead-lane.
1. Sleep. I rarely get enough sleep due to overtime work so sleeping in-flight is a big help. However, I only do this if I completely trust my driver (which happens a lot because my dad’s business is taxi service, yack yack yack!).
2. Play deaf-mute. Just stare at the outside world and forget all things. Relax and calm down. This will also give an impression that you’re suplado/suplada and the driver or your seatmate (if travelling with a companion) wont bother opening a conversation about how polluted Metro Manila is.
3. Talk. If you’re the type that hates serenity, open up to the people you’re with. I usually open a cab conversation with, “Manong, boundary ka na ba?”, but I think it scares the driver more than making him at ease. So I immediately switch the topic by saying, “Kayo na bahala sa dadaanan, kung saan kayo makakaluwag at mapapadali”. If the driver is the snobbish type (they are, especially during rush hour) and you’re not with someone, then just rest your case and do other things.
4. Tap the dashbroad (if you’re seated at the front passenger seat). Pretend that you’re singing, as if a band member or maybe hum to the beat of “Kingdom of Pretty” by Bonnie Bailey, especially if the car radio is turned off. This will create an impression that you would like to hear some music and eventually the driver turn on the music. If the car radio is broken, too bad.
5. Look around. Pretend that you’re a probinsiyano/na on your first trip to Metro Manila. Stare at billboards and check the celebrities and how silly they pose at times (case in point: Piolo Pascual’s Bench billboard in Quiapo, zoomed on his face and ‘coloured’ lips, with matching internalization as if he is experiencing orgasmic sensation). Look for picture perfect establishments, or better yet, familiarize yourself with the environment.
6. Enter people’s lives. Create stories on how people outside go about with their lives. My favorites will be lonely people riding the jeepneys looking far beyond the horizon.
