Lately it’s so traffic here in Davao City. If you go to the downtown area coming from Matina it will take a while to get there especially if you’re going through the Bankerohan area. Right now the city has been working on the Bankerohan bridge for over a month now. I’ve heard it will go on for a long time. Geez, going through in that area in the morning and in the afternoon (rush hour times) it’s definitely not a fun drive, an excruciating headache I know that for sure. 🙂
A few weeks ago me and my niece went through there at Bankerohan on our way to downtown. Usually we go through the other side, at the SM Ecoland at Quimpo Boulevard area. Problem is we had to swing by at some other place in Bankerohan. So we decided that we will just ride the jeepney to Bankerohan, it’s not that far from NCCC Mall anyway. So off we went. My goodness we’re not yet halfway to Banke just around the UM Matina college we noticed that the jeepneys barely moved. I think we were stuck in the traffic for over 30 minutes not even moving. I told my niece it might be better for us to just walk than just sitting in the jeepney. So off we went and started walking. Other passengers on the other jeepneys started walking too. So many people walking and its kind of fun watching other people walking and talking to us. It really reminds me of my time living in Manila in the late 80’s. Traffic there was horrible its bumper to bumper. But, I got used to it later.
Like 30-45 minutes later we head back towards NCCC again. My niece she did remember the plate number and the driver of our jeepney. He was still there in the traffic. No more passengers on his jeepney though, they already went walking crossing the bridge. Lot’s of those drivers they were complaining that they earned less money now. It’s hard hearing from them that they’re having a hard time. People tend to walk now instead of riding. It used to be people rides jeepney even if its just a short distance away. Now with the traffic, much better to walk than ride.
Bankerohan is already bad enough for the traffic jam, sometimes at the other side at Quimpo its bad traffic too. One time they were also working on the bridge there. Plus if there’s something going on that Agro grounds near the bridge the traffic is also unbelievable. The only way to go to the town without traffic jam would be at the Maa road to San Rafael out in Marfori. Or From Maa to Diversion road, lots of exit there to go to town.
Just a month ago it was on the news here that Davao might have a light rail transportation soon. Hopefully it will go through. Only thing it means more traffic that the Davaoeno will endure. It’s going to be longer time than what we are going through right now. Really I am feeling sorry for the students and the people that work. Luckily our house is not far from our kids school. Our niece who goes to college and had to go through the bridge, she goes to school a little early now. Sometimes she had to walk across the bridge.
Thank goodness we have 2 malls and S & R near our house. So that I don’t have to go to the other side of town constantly. Well, to you guys just have patience right now. I know it’s not easy but nothing we can do about it.
Cheers!
Hi Feyma,
I concur … came back from immigration via that route yesterday afternoon …. just closed my eyes and listened to da tunes … lucky I was a passenger in an air conditioned SUV. Noticed they are building a new McDonalds outside NCCC … unless it is owned by the same franchisee this would not happen back home as it is just too close to the existing Golden Arches which is within walking distance of this new one. Also wondering when 7 Eleven will make an appearance in Davao … I believe they are well overdue here and would be very popular … only hope they build on our side of town first 😉
Hi Greg – Yep, good to have internet on our cell phone while on the road right now. I don’t think it will take years for the repairs anyway. 🙂
I think the McDonald franchisee owns both the one near Ateneo high school and the NCCC. I’ve heard that 7 Eleven is coming here soon. Ha ha ha… Hopefully they will have here in our area first. 😉
Thank you for stopping by. Cheers!
Well great timing for me. I’m here checking out the “traffic free” Davao. Coming from Manila where I’ve spent the last 11.5 years of my life I feel kinda normal, but not seeing any major reasons to choose Davao over Manila yet. Did I mention banks are over crowded too? And when you get to the teller expect a 50 pesos kick in the privates for depositing in your own personal account located in Manila.
Hi Warren – I’m glad you’re happy to be in Manila. You should stay on the place that you’re happy and comfortable. It’s just not for a lot of us to be living there. Just too many reasons to be here. Lol
Hey, you had options to open an account on banks that will not charge on depositing. Try them out.
Good luck on your quest. Have a great day!
It is the same if you have a bank account based in Davao, but deposit in manila, there is a P50 charge for that.
Bob Martin One positive thing so far has been staying in Woodridge Park, Maa. It’s probably the best 4 or 5 nights sleep i’ve had in 12 years, So calm and peaceful that I’m almost forgetting the noise of the big city, Manila.
I used to live on Woodridge. Indeed, it is relatively quiet, but I didn’t like living there. It just feel like the Philippines. Glad you found a positive side to your visit. I love Davao very much.
Traffic is a problem in many cities here…. I have a solution for myself to avoid the aggravation. I don’t drive, I use public transport 🙂
Rease Wold I would have to say we are total opposites, in Manila I own a brand new montero sports, smells great, has a fantastic sound system and I can take my time and keep my life in my own hands behind the wheel. Compare this with sitting in the back of a taxi that 9 times out of 10 smells like a rat infestation, in a 1995 poor airconditioned vehicle, and a driver that must have found his license in a cereal packet… you can have that to yourself.
So far (Knock on wood) Davao taxis on the whole, haven’t been too bad. Although most state they have the best “back street” option to avoid the 1 lane each way bridge problem. Just it adds 100 pesos to the fare. =)
going downtown from woodridge would be 100 pesos in total, that back street story is just a lie to charge you extra.. im surprised because usually taxi drivers here dont try to cheat people.. thats what i like about here compared to manila, when riding a taxi you just pay what reads on the taximeter..
as for the traffic, its getting worst and worst here in davao, not just because of the bridge issue, which is hard to understand why they would decide to fix both main bridges at the same time, but also because there are more cars, jeeps, tricycles, taxis etc… theres a lot more of everything, and is out of control.
Anyways, Davao is way better than Manila in many ways, at least for me.
I’m glad you have a solution that works for you Warren. I just avoid Manila if at all possible. Public transport and congestion vary from ciyt to city. I am surprised people are having to pay to deposit money at any bank in the Phils. I have never been charged to deposit money. I can even deposit personal checks from the USA with no charge of any kind (including transfer fees). I just have to wait for a few weeks for the check to clear.
Hey Bob, are you the one offering the Tagalog Language course that can be downloaded?
Hi Feyma,
Thank you for this article. I actually google that word Maa to find out what it is. I thought it was an acronym for an organization or a building there. Now, thanks to Google it says it’s a place, is that a barangay? Is that how it spelled, “Ma-a?” Bankerohan I googled too, is that the name for the public market? I didn’t really read the whole “wikipedia” on it. By your article, I think I would get out of the jeepney and walked too. Did you ask for your fare back from the driver? Haha!! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!!! Thank you! PILI na PINO pa. 🙂
Hi Shannon Lambert Nelson, yes I have both a Tagalog and Bisaya course available. http://expatisland.com/tagalog-learning/
Hi Feyma,
Cebu City of course, and really starting from Consolacion on through Mandaue City is so congested now too. What used to be a fifteen minute driive from Mandaue to Cebu City can take up to 45 minutes!
We still drive our vintage Pajero into the city but even though the aircon is great the stop and go can be long and tedious. We have a multicab in the province, but if we get a new vehicle in the future I think we’d we’d purchase a newer car that can more easily manouver in traffic.
Even out in the province where we live you can see more people and commercial congestion. I guess that would be considered progress, but it is a change from previous times. Going up to Bogo City the other day we took a back road that led to the mainline road. I was so surprised that up in the hills it was still very peaceful and full of farms and green spaces, with an old province feel! I had thought that type of setting was long gone in Cebu.
I sometimes envy you guys who live in the cities and surrounds who have access to so many things, but at the end of the day after traveling to the city for me it’s nice to get back to the province.
Our only option to avoid driving would be to take the Ceres bus liner, but that would turn into an all day affair.
I