Thought: That One Road Where Life Happened

I stumbled upon this informative documentary by The Probe Team from the Philippines about the history of Epifanio De los Santos Avenue or EDSA. It has changed its name a lot of times, from North-South Circumferential Road in 1930's to Avenida 19 de Hunio in the 1940's to Highway 54 in the 1950's and finally to EDSA in 1959. It started as a circumferential road to decongest Manila. But it has become one of the most congested roads now that it is considered a main thoroughfare connecting major cities in Metro Manila. And this heavy congestion causes the Philippines $3.5 Billion per year. What's happening to EDSA is a major sign of urban decay that the government fails to prevent. Seeing this documentary made me realize even more that the government's lack of political will continues to jeopardize the way of Filipino urban life. As I watch, I can't help but be nostalgic. It has been three years since we left Manila. One thing I sure miss among the crazy way of life back home is the heavy commute. When I was in grade school, I started frequenting EDSA. It was my way from home to get to school. I remember the nightmare the construction of Ortigas Interchange and MRT Rails have brought to thousands of commuters everyday. I remember how I dropped my first set of eyeglasses in a bus while I slept through the long ride, realizing I lost them only when I got off Cubao. I remember how I resiliently stood up in an overcrowded bus from Monumento to Ortigas for almost an hour and a half while studying for a final exam, while keeping all my valuables intact. I remember my first time to try the train out and how it made my commute a little faster, and made my legs stronger through the steep stairs. I remember my ride to Ortigas to get to my first job interview with a foreign company. I remember how I jumped from one mall to another along the highway, since they were conveniently connected to the train. I remember the hard commute to POEA just to get my Overseas Exit Clearance as a returning OFW. This was EDSA to me.

To you, what is EDSA to you?

#Thoughts #EDSA #Documentary