Manila is one of the most densely-populated cities in the world. Being part of the capital, it has many workers and businessmen who go to and from the city. This makes the population of Metro Manila swell from 13 million people to 15 million people daily during daytime. The city is likewise full of universities and colleges of which most can be dated back to colonial times. These universities and colleges are viewed as very prestigious that students commit to commuting daily from their homes that are located outside of Metro Manila. Because of this, commuting became a routine for many students struggling to reach their respective universities and colleges on time.
Most students and laborers who are needed inside Intramuros do not have private vehicles and thus use public transport, most notably the Light Rail Transit (LRT). To go inside the Walled City, many students and laborers that use the LRT pass through either the underpass near Lawton or the underpass near the Manila City Hall.
As we are students from Mapúa University, we daily pass through the underpass near the City Hall. We often notice the horrid conditions of this particular underpass. We observed that the underpass is full of graffiti, always dirty and very narrow. It is full of vendors with their products and stalls occupying most of the space. This is a possible breeding ground for crime due to its narrow space where people are compressed. These kinds of underpasses poses a danger to citizens especially to the students. Vendors with their products such as clothes and board games are taking up the space of the underpass. This space should be used as a walkway for the people. Although for the vendors, it is a means of making money for themselves and their family, it is still a hindrance to the people’s safety. This is unlike the underpass near Lawton, which is clean, wide, and is monitored by the private guards of Colegio de San Juan de Letrán.
We have a few recommendations in mind to improve the aforementioned underpass.
Firstly, the vendors in the underpass should be relocated because the underpass is path for pedestrians, not a market.
Homeless people who stay and sleep in underpass should also be relocated or be in government agencies that take care of the homeless people.
There should also be trash cans at both ends of the underpass for the people to be able to throw their trash.
Lastly, the underpass should be guarded by a police or guard. There should be a police or MMDA outpost in or near the underpass.
By implementing this, crimes such as pickpocketing and budol-budol will be lessened in the underpass. By doing all these, the underpass will be safer and cleaner for all.
Join us by signing our petition to not just make the lives of students, commuters, and ordinary citizens convenient, but also safe, free and away from danger. We hope that you’ll support our cause towards a safer Manila, and ultimately, a better Philippines.
