Infrastructure meets inclusion: Redefining commuter experiences in 2025

The Philippines has consistently ranked among the countries with the world’s most congested urban corridors. In 2023, Metro Manila recorded some of the highest travel times globally: motorists averaged 25 minutes to cover just 10 kilometers, with over 117 hours lost annually stuck in slow-moving traffic.

Recognizing the scale of the problem, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) has been repositioning mobility as a strategic economic enabler rather than a purely operational concern.

In 2025, the DoTr undertook a series of interconnected initiatives to improve commuter experiences and strengthen active transport infrastructure nationwide. These efforts reflect evolving policies: sustainable urban mobility, inclusive infrastructure, digital transformation, and integrated land use that incorporates green spaces into transport corridors.

The department’s recent initiatives signal a shift away from fragmented interventions toward an integrated transport strategy that addresses infrastructure gaps, operational inefficiencies, and commuter experience simultaneously.

Institutionalizing accessibility and inclusion

One of the most notable shifts in the DoTr’s strategy has been its move toward participatory planning. At the Philippine Mobility Summit 2025, the department unveiled plans to institutionalize an Accessibility and Inclusion Reference Group (AIRG) — a consultative body comprising of commuters from underrepresented communities, including persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, women, caregivers, and others with lived experience of mobility challenges.

The AIRG is intended to assist technical teams and policy makers in co-designing transport frameworks, feasibility studies, and infrastructure designs that better reflect everyday commuter requirements.

This marks a departure from traditional top-down infrastructure planning toward a model that incorporates user insight at every stage, a step toward both accessibility and inclusion in public transport system development.

Cycling and pedestrian infrastructure

Active transport, consisting of cycling and walking, continued to be a central theme of the DoTr’s strategy. Under the national Active Transport and Safe Pathways Program, more kilometers of bike lanes are being added, linking residential areas with employment centers, transport terminals, schools, and green spaces.

The agency plans to build at least 260 kilometers of new bike lanes, advancing toward a long-term target of 2,400 kilometers by 2028.

Pedestrian infrastructure remains a priority in parallel with cycling enhancements. Walkways are being constructed and upgraded nationwide to ensure safer and more accessible pedestrian routes, in alignment with the National Transport Policy (NTP) and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, which place non-motorized transport at the top of road-user hierarchy.

Institutional strengthening

To ensure that large-scale transportation projects deliver tangible improvements for commuters, the DoTr established a Flagship Project Management Office (FPMO).

Designed to accelerate implementation of high-impact infrastructure programs, the FPMO centralizes oversight of major initiatives such as the Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway, the EDSA Busway, the EDSA Greenways Project, as well as modernized address programs such as the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit and the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project. These flagship projects aim to ease congestion, cut travel times, and expand intermodal connectivity across the Greater Manila area and key regional hubs.

By having senior officials directly monitoring milestones, budget execution, and right-of-way acquisition, the FPMO aims to reduce bureaucratic delays and thus improve service delivery for daily commuters.

Green spaces and integrated mobility corridors

Operationalizing the synergy between transport and urban green spaces is emerging as a complementary priority.

The DoTr’s transport vision also recognizes the role of green infrastructure in shaping healthier cities. By integrating green spaces into active transport corridors, the agency aims to enhance street-level environments for pedestrians and cyclists while supporting environmental goals such as heat mitigation and urban biodiversity.

Former Transport Secretary Vivencio “Vince” B. Dizon emphasized that mobility projects should not only move people efficiently but also improve the quality of urban environments by incorporating landscaped corridors, shading vegetation, and pedestrian-oriented green areas.

These integrative approaches align with broader goals to make transport corridors more resilient and environmentally friendly, anchoring mobility improvements within healthier, more livable city frameworks where active commuters can enjoy greener surroundings as they travel.

During the National Bike Day last year, officials of the department reiterated commitments to expanding bicycle and pedestrian lanes while underscoring that cyclists and walkers should not be marginalized on roads.

This safety emphasis complements the broader active transport agenda by ensuring non-motorized users are recognized as legitimate road participants deserving dedicated space and protective infrastructure.

As the DoTr’s recent initiatives unfold, the integration of inclusive planning, active transport expansion, flagship project management, and green space integration represents a multi-pronged approach to modernizing mobility in the Philippines.

Digitalizing fare payments

A digital payment system on MRT-3 allows commuters to pay using mobile wallets, QR codes, or contactless bank cards. — Photo from facebook.com/DOTrPH

Beyond physical infrastructure, the DoTr is also focusing on digital innovation and service quality improvements designed to make public transport more convenient and user-friendly.

One initiative is the digital transformation of fare payment systems across rail and bus networks. In mid-2025, the DoTr partnered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Department of Information and Communications (DICT), and GCash to pilot an open-loop, digital payment system on MRT-3. This allows commuters to pay using mobile wallets, QR codes, or contactless bank cards, eliminating queues at ticket booths. The pilot is intended to be expanded to other rail and bus systems.

Busway upgrades and commuter amenities

The DoTr continues to improve EDSA Busway with targeted station upgrades and rehabilitation projects. In 2025, the department pursued renovations of key busway stations such as Monumento, Bagong Barrio, North Avenue, and Guadalupe.

The DoTr is also developing plans to turn over the busway’s operations and management to the private sector through a public-private partnership (PPP), intended to harness private expertise and capital to sustain and modernize the service while preserving dedicated lanes for high-capacity buses.

In response to ongoing infrastructure works, the DoTr has also deployed additional buses to bolster capacity and reduce congestion for commuters during rehabilitation periods.

Commuter-centric governance

To ensure that decision-makers remain grounded in commuter realities, the DoTr issued a directive requiring agency officials to commute weekly using public transport.

This policy, championed by Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez, aims to expose senior staff to firsthand commuter experiences so that policies and projects are informed by actual system conditions and pain points.

Officials are expected to document their journeys and identify operational issues, creating a feedback loop between experience and institutional planning.

These developments signal a shift toward transport systems that are more accessible, safer, environmentally sound, and attuned to the needs of everyday commuters.

The challenge ahead will be scaling these initiatives across urban and regional contexts, monitoring impact on commuter behavior, and ensuring that infrastructure investments tangibly improve daily travel experiences.

With coordinated execution and sustained public engagement, these initiatives offer a promising blueprint for a more mobile, connected, and inclusive Philippines. — Krystal Anjela H. Gamboa