Fuel Crisis Creates Commuter Crush in the Philippines
Commuting in the Philippines has become extremely chaotic. “When you get on the train, you have to protect yourself so that you don’t get squeezed.” “We call it a sardine situation. It’s becoming unimaginable.” The war in Iran has created a global energy crisis, more than doubling the price at the pump in the Philippines. This has forced people to ditch their cars for public transportation, like trains and popular vehicles called jeepneys, that could typically hold about 20 people. Many are trying to figure out how to navigate massive crowds during rush hour, while saving money. “Excuse me.” These commuters filmed and posted on social media about their new challenging journeys. “I stopped driving. I take the public transportation as a commute.” Stella Kim works for a multinational company in Manila as a project coordinator. Her drive to work was typically about an hour and a half. But then gas prices started to climb. “It just wasn’t worth it. It’s very expensive.” So Kim now hails a motorcycle, and takes a train and jeepney …
