Before the LRT and MRT our city was in a sordid mess caused by a reliance on PUVs (public utility vehicles) and a road network that disintegrated upon the onset of the yearly rains. Today we keep ou

t of total Armageddon traffic-wise by a growing usage of mass transit systems that run on rails.

Time was when our inner-city and inter-city transport was mainly serviced by highly efficient, environmentally friendly electric trams and steam trains. The late 19th century saw the opening of the original Manila-Dagupan rail line that was franchised by the Spanish colonial government to an English consortium. City transport via tranvias developed in parallel courtesy of a European investor named Zobel.

The Americans built on that initial line and extended it north so that it almost climbed

 up to Baguio (which was the goal until costs escalated beyond practicality) and south eventually to Bicol (although the original intent was to reach the Pacific coast).

World War II saw the tranvia system almost completely destroyed but the heavier inter-provincial train system was rebuilt because it was cheaper and more efficient compared to bus and car travel, which was hindered by the fact that we had almost no freeway or long-distance super-highway system in place.

The Philippine National Railways was the premier transport institution that rivaled inter-island shipping and the nascent air transport system in the ’50s to the ’60s. A magazine feature in 1960s gives an indication of the importance of the train system in Luzon in that era.

The report stated: “Every year, 8,600,000 Filipinos commute by train. Every year, too, the trains haul some 1,200,000 tons of freight over some 2,000 miles. These statistics indicate the heavy rail traffic and the importance of railroad in the economics of mass transportation in the Philippines.

“It is difficult, of course, to portray these statistics in terms of human interest in the space of a (short article, but a long peek is possible with Tutuban Station). Here, the climate of rail travel is evident. Here is found the melting point of rail tracks that stretch to the North and to the South.

“The Manila Railroad Company (the precursor of the PNR) sits at the helm of the country’s sprawling railroad industry. Its first and last concern is public service.”

This public service was best seen in the system’s main terminal — Tutuban Station.

The MRR in the ’60s was in the middle of gearing for the swinging ’60s. It had served the Philippines well in the ’50s, expanding its reach and diversifying into support services. The article went on, “The modernization of Tutuban Station is symbolic of the MRR’s progress. Today, 10 new powerful General Electric ‘Streamliners’ rumble across the tracks at Tutuban.”

To show how efficient it was, the report cited, “One diesel-electric locomotive pulling a freight train of 50,000 tons with a crew of five and using one teaspoon of fuel oil per ton-mile is the rough equivalent of 500 trucks with each truck carrying 10 tons.”

Imagine if we had kept this system and managed to expand it from the ’60s up to today. We would have reduced drastically the need for cargo and container trucks to enter the metropolis, clog up our roads, hasten the deterioration of pavements and pollute the air.

Such a system is acknowledged by the article for its larger contribution to the economy: “The railroads play an important role in the expanding economy of the nation. Products have to be hauled to markets and machinery has to be transported to the different factories and plants scattered throughout the provinces.”

The MRR also served the basic transport needs of the general public. “The MRR has done its best to provide efficient rails service to the public. That is its mission. MRR’s nerve center is located at Tutuban station. Here the personnel of the MRR’s main office operate. But Tutuban station is also a fascinating place. Children always find chug-chugging trains exciting objects. Light and shadow play with each other in the station. And the anonymous faces of the crowd hide a hundred secrets, a thousand dreams.”

The description continues a la Life magazine: “At Tutuban Station one is met at once by an anonymous mass of faces. The faces belong to the people who are either going or coming. The expressions on the faces are varied. Those who are going to have time to kill waiting for their train have the magazine stand and the juke box … but there are those who wait and think fondly of the joyous moment of reunion with their relatives in the provinces.”

Tutuban station was spacious and reasonably comfortable until the early ’60s. Mismanagement and the competition for bus lines, airlines and inter-island ships led to the systems’ almost complete demise. A short-lived revival in the martial law era was … well, short-lived. The PNR rail system is today a mere shadow of its former self. Tutuban Station has survived but only by morphing into a shopping mall.

The emergence of the LRT and MRT systems was welcome news. The systems have come, however, after the car, jeepney and bus systems have pushed the capacity of the metropolis’ roads (and peoples’ nerves) to the limit. The light rail systems should have come first precisely to contain all the negative effects of pollutive vehicles.

Inter-province travel for the majority who cannot afford air-travel is limited to overcrowded Japayuki buses accessed in grimy terminals along EDSA’s curbside with little by way of traveler comfort, clean bathrooms or accommodations for the elderly, the differently abled, women or children.

Imagine again if rail travel was prioritized for inner-city and inter-city travel. Imagine north, east and south modern train terminals for inter-modal travel in large sites that do not disrupt EDSA or any other road traffic. Imagine how much traffic congestion fast heavy-rail trains could eliminate from the NLEX and SLEX for both public transport and freight movement.

Imagine drastically reducing EDSA traffic by imposing a ban on any more franchises for Monumento-Caloocan buses that are never filled up and block almost all major intersections. The ban would force the LRT-MRT system to maximize its capacity, which should be subsidized by government anyway because it saves the metropolitan and national economy billions from shorter commute times and healthier urban air.

Of course this can be done if we only had the will and the common sense to rationalize our transport system. We would also have to make sure that urban design catches up with the requirements of increased pedestrian traffic between rail modes of transport. We are sorely lacking in proper, safe, well-lighted and weather-protected pedestrian interconnections, sidewalks and links between different rail-based systems, ground-based systems or parking (for park-and-ride options).

The MMDA is trying its best but what is needed is a set of standards for urban design that is based on a larger master plan for the metropolis. Here we go again. Without proper master plans, a modern code for urban design or an appreciation of how everything is linked together in the complex urban fabric of a crowded city, then we might as well be satisfied with railway dreams.

More often than not do we get almost weekly visits from the students of our NCAA junior school La Salle Greenhills. I’m guessing they’re only touring SDA only out of CSB’s three main campuses, leaving out Main and AKIC. Hmm…I guess it is a way for the school to attract future applicants to CSB by showing off the greatness that is CSB’s SDA Building. I’m also guessing that they are also in dire need of getting the good catch on the good players from the Greenies since the school’s recruitment program is somewhat “weak” compared to the likes of NCAA-member schools lke San Beda, Mapua and Letran according to some. (DLS-CSB took DLSU’s vacant slot about ten years since leaving the league during the 80’s).

During much of the LSGH visits, I’m usually either at the SDA Caf eating lunch or at the Student Lounge doing Frehand. The Lounge by the way is surrounded by glass walls so it is more often used as a “must-see” for any visitor to witness the development of the country’s future artists, designers, and animators.

Just this afternoon, the school was again visited by another group of students, this time from a reputable international school called “Bright Academy” based in Cebu. There were quite a crowd. All of theme were wearing B.A. jackets with their names imprinted on it. A rainbow class from different nationalities: Korean, Japanese, American, and even Filipino (Bai!).

And I thought “B” stands for “Brent”…