4.

0 Results

These are the findings reported by five key informants which comprises of three Drivers
and two Commuters travelling from SM Fairview to SM North EDSA and vice-versa. The three
drivers were able to meet the following criteria: first, the participant must be 25 to 40 years of age
with 5 to 15 years of driving experience, second, the informant must be driving at least 12 hours
every day, and lastly, the driver must be driving along the roads from SM Fairview to SM North.
The two commuters were able to meet the following criteria: first, the informant must be senior
High School to college level if it is a student, and must have a job for professionals. Second, the
informant must be traveling 5 days a week. And lastly, the informant must be travelling along SM
Fairview to SM North EDSA. Each participant had an individual open-coding or interpretation of
transcripts. A brief demographic background is included to support the following data.

4.1 Demographic background

Demographics are characteristics of a population. the research needs to assess who to

survey and how to breakdown overall survey response data into meaningful groups of respondents.
Both assessments are based on demographic considerations.

Two key informants are reported travelling for more than 20 years. One of them also
reported since he was traveling for over 60 years, Trinoma was once became People’s Park.
“60 years. Eh kasi ano pa yung trinoma dati eh! Wala pa
yang trinoma na yan, People’s Park pa yan.” (6o years, There is
no trinoma when I was started travelling. The location of trinoma
today is once a people’s Park)

One of the key informants reported that he is travelling for 3 months from SM North EDSA
to SM Fairview but has an original travelling route from Montalban to Cubao. It’s just his unit was
fixed out.
“Mga 3 months pa lang ako eh. Kasi ang binabiyahe ko
eh Montalban to Cubao. Ano binabiyahe ko eh. Fix out yung unit
ko kaya balik muna ako dito.” (I’m 3 months travelling because
may original route is Montlaban to Cubao. May unit was fixed out
so I go back on this route.
 One of the informants also reported the comparison between the congestion last time
when he was on an OJT and today. He said that the congestion of vehicles last time is good
compared today that he advise to have more patience on traffic.

“…pero before noong OJT ko, ok naman yung ano po

yung biyahe eh. Ngayon kasi sobrang haba na sobrang kailangan
muna ng patience sa biyahe diba maiistress tsaka sasakit talaga
yung ulo mo sa ngayon siguro sa mga 1 month to 1 ½ months na
ako bumabiyahe.” (But before on my OJT, my travel is good.
Today traffic is very long so we need to be patient. I’m travelling
for about 1 to 1 ½ months.)

4.2 Causes of Heavy Traffic

4.2.1 Road Discipline
Two of the Key informants considered the road discipline of the drivers as one of the causes
of heavy traffic in Metro Manila.

“…tsaka yung disiplina ng mga drivers eh. Lalo na kung

halimbawa ay hindi naman parahan dapat pumapara, humihinto
din ang mga jeep…” (the discipline of the drivers. For example,
they stop in the wrong jeepney stop.)

Discipline is not mere conformance. It is not simply obeying laws and regulations, adhering
to standards, going by the code of discipline. Discipline is acting according to your personal needs
and those of others affected by your behavior. Lack of discipline is abandonment of responsibility,
abdication of choice. (Ramos-Aquino, 2016)

4.2.2 Traffic Disturbance

One of the Key informants reported that one of the traffic disturbance is government
constructions especially today. The construction of MRT 7 will take the 23 kilometer lane taking
construction from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to MRT 3 North Avenue in Quezon City.Road
works might shut down one or more lanes, requiring drivers to shift over into open but crowded
lanes.
4.2.3 Increasing number of Vehicle

One of the Key Informants said that the continuous increase of cars in the roads causes
heavy traffic in Metro Manila.

“Siyempre madaming sasakyan tapos yung mga gobyerno,

angkat sila ng angkat. Gawa sila ng gawa sa mga pabrika eh.
Kaya dumadami ang mga sasakyan. Kaya nagkakatraffic.”
(There is a great number of vehicles. Our government make cars
so it causes heavy traffic)

According to the Japanese scientist Yuki Sugiyama explains that the real origin of the
traffic is just simply because of too many cars. The team discovered the importance of traffic
density by applying techniques to model the movements of lots of particles to real-life moving
traffic. The research shows that even tiny fluctuations in car-road density cause chain reaction
which can lead to jam.

4.3 Psychological Effects of Heavy Traffic

4.3.1 Getting Mad

All of the participants stated that every time they experiencing traffic, they have lost their
temper and get mad. An example is when you arrived as early as you can to go on work and
experienced heavy traffic, it loose your temper and have a bad feeling, that leads you to be mad.

“…maaga pasok mo tapos umalis ka ng maaga. So

pagkaalis mo ng maaga di ka nakarating sa oras ng pasok mo so
iinit talaga ulo mo…” (…you have an early work then you arrived
early, then after you arrived early, you will not be on time so you
will lose your temper…)

According to Ryan Martin Ph. D., one of the reason why we get mad is because of what he
called goal-blocking. According to him, every time we travel, we have goals that are set in mind,
like going to office or work. When there is a something that blocks us to our goal, we get angry.
So the more important the goal, the worse instances of goal blocking become, the angrier we get.
 One of the key informants reported that if we can control ourselves from getting mad, we
can have less fights in the roads which can help to lessen traffic congestion.

“minsan kung kaya mong iwasan yung init ng ulo iwasan

mo na lang. kung saan man yung may kalaban ka.” (If you can
control your anger, better to control it wherever there is an enemy)

Dr. Ryan Martin also point out that tension makes us mad also. Even if we are used to it
that we don’t notice that driving is dangerous that makes us nervous, we still feel tension when we
are driving. What this means for anger is that we are primed for feeling strong emotions. That
tension state makes us more likely to get angry when faced with a provocation.

4.4 Health Problems caused by heavy traffic

4.4.1 Higher Chronic Stress
One reported that every time he encountered heavy traffic, he become stressed and tired.

“Minsan din oo. Minsan naistress ka minsan nawawala

yung pagod mo kapag maganda daloy ng trapiko minsan
madadagdagan pa yung pagod mo.” (Sometimes, yes. Sometimes
you’ll be stressed, sometime your tiredness will be lost because of
good traffic congestion, sometimes you will be more tired)

According to Washington University in ST. Louis (2012), long commutes eat up exercise
time so long commutes are associated with higher weight, lower fitness levels, and higher blood
pressure which is a strong predictors of heart disease, diabetes, and some type of cancer. The study
also pointed out that being exposed to the daily hassles of traffic can lead to higher chronic disease.

According to American Psychological Association, untreated chronic stress can result in

serious health conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a
weakened immune system. Unlike the common stressors that we can deal with by healthy stress
management behaviors, excessive chronic stress is constant and persists over an extended period
of time.

According to Psychiatrists Emily Deans of Psychology today, stress is a killer disease that
makes people vulnerable to other disease and even depression.
4.4.2 Air Pollution

One of the participants reported that the smoke coming from vehicles causes cancer to
those who is exposed.

“Siyempre meron naman sa usok automatic na yun,

cancer nay un” (There is a health impact. The smoke
automatically brings us cancer)

The National Emissions inventory in 2012 said that 71% of air pollution in the country
comes from vehicle on road. In National Capital Region (NCR) where 85% of air pollution comes
from vehicles. Aside from chronic diseases, Sharine Wittkop, a M.D./Ph. D. student from UC
Irvine finds that the air pollution can cause blood pressure to rise and inflame the arteries,
increasing heart attack and stroke risk.

4.5 Coping on Heavy Traffic

4.5.1 Quell Anxious Thoughts
One reported that he is always thinking positively every time he is stocked in a heavy traffic
to reduce stress.

“Ako positive lang sasabihin ko naman na makakarating

din ako.” (I will have positive thoughts and I will say that I can
make it)

Linda Wasmer Andrews, a health writer, suggests to notice and accept the feeling
nonjudgmentally, and then let it go. Turn your awareness to what’s happening in the present
moment: the sight of vehicles moving (or not) around you, the sound of sirens in the distance, the
feel of your foot on the pedals. Just let go of anxious feelings and think of positive thoughts.

4.5.2 Redefine the situation

The three key informants reported to redefine the situation. Do anything that will let your
mind escape from feeling of traffic.
 “…dinadaan ko na lang sa meryenda, kain kasi wala eh.
Isipin mo yun lalo kang tatanda…” (I just have snacks. If I will
think the traffic, I will become older)

One of the key informants said that he always whistles his favorite song to reduce stress.
One also said that his way to be stress free about traffic is to take a nap.

Linda Wasmer Andrews, a health writer, said that rather than thinking of the traffic snarl
as an obstacle to getting where you want to be, tell yourself it’s a welcome respite from work or a
golden opportunity to listen to your favorite radio show or any other things that you can do just to
escape the stress on traffic

4.5 Ways to prevent Heavy Traffic

4.5.1 Ban cars with fewer than three passengers

One of the key informants reported that the government should lessen the private vehicles
to reduce traffic.

“tsaka para lumuwag yung traffic yung mga private

bawas bawasan mas marami yung mga private kasi kung sa mga
jeep bumabiyahe eh.” (and to lessen the traffic, the private
vehicles should be lessening. There are more private vehicles
travelling than jeepney)

In line with this, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is considering
providing alternative routes for cars with fewer than three passengers during rush hour. Public
Works Sec. Rogelio Singson proposes that peak hours should be set at 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., then 5
p.m. to 8 p.m., and only those vehicles with three passenger or more will be allowed on EDSA.
Cars with less than three passengers will then be rerouted elsewhere.
4.5.2 Reviving the Odd-Even Scheme

One of the key informants suggest to change the coding system in the Metro.

“…mas gusto ko panukala nila na 1.2.3.4 hindi puwede

bumiyahe ng iyon talaga ang best dun…” (I want to insist the
1.2.3.4 coding system. That’s the best way)

There are some similarities on the statement of the key informants from the suggestions to
bring back the Odd-Even scheme of the late 90’s. It is said to be a great idea for some people
because half of the vehicles travelling will be out in a day. Odd-Even Coding system where
1.3.5.7.9 will be out in a day and 0.2.4.6.8 will be out on the other day.

4.5.3 Strict implementation of traffic rules

One of the key informants urge Filipino commuters and drivers to have discipline.

“…nagcau-cause din talaga yun ng heavy traffic disiplina

din natin ng mga tao ng mga commuters…” (…it cuases heavy
traffic. Discipline of the people and the commuters…)

In line with this the government should have strict implementation of traffic laws to reduce
the impact of traffic to the commuters and drivers. Vice Mayor Madeline Regalado suggested that
the law enforcement groups be given copies of the ordinances in order to effectively apprehend
violators.