The Silent Observer

The Silent ObserverObserving the Railway Transit System in Metro Manila and Pirated DVDsOBSERVING MRT AND LRT 2METRO RAILWAY TRANSIT SYSTEM: AN OBSERVATION

DAY 1: Monday(Guadalupe Station to Quezon Ave. Station )Time: 9:05 AM - 9:22 AMDuration: 17 mins

OBSERVATIONSMost of the passengers were around 16- 40 years old, few passengers were probably aged over 40Most of the passengers are working, based on their uniform/corporate attire (Landmark,SM)A lot of passengers were students (uniform, ID, shirts) - UP, FEU, Samson College of Science and TechnologyMost of the passengers travel alone. Few travel in groups (usually, couples and families)Passengers follow the rules on the separation of male and female passengers (Males carrying children or accompanying pregnant women are allowed to stay in the separate cab for females)Passengers do not follow the arrow markers:OBSERVATIONS

Passengers stay near the doors of the train even when asked by the driver and guards to go to the middle part to make way for other passengersWhat do passengers usually do while waiting? Most passengers use their mobile phones (texting , listening to music,playing games). Some read books and newspapers

OBSERVATIONS

OBSERVATIONSSome passengers also sleepDo the passengers let the disabled, pregnant women and elderly sit? Yes (A pregnant woman was offered a seat)Train was considerably spacious (All seats were taken but only few passengers are standing)Passengers usually board on: Guadalupe stationPassengers usually get off at: Shaw Blvd. & Cubao stationOBSERVATIONS

DAY 2: Friday(Quezon Ave. to Guadalupe Station )Time: 4:39 PM - 5:08 PMDuration: 29 minsOBSERVATIONSAge of passengers range from 16-60 years oldMost of the passengers are office workers (corporate attire)A lot of passengers were students (uniform, ID, shirts) - UP, FEU, AteneoMost passengers travel alonePassengers who travel in groups are families/friends/co-workers/classmates/couples

OBSERVATIONSPassengers follow the rules on the separation of male and female passengers (Males carrying children or accompanying pregnant women are allowed to stay in the separate cab for females)Passengers do not follow the arrow markersA lot of passengers stay near the doors and some do not want to make way for passengers leaving or entering the train

OBSERVATIONSSome passengers forcibly open the doors (even when advised to just wait for the next train) and enter the train even if there is obviously no more space insideWhat do passengers usually do while waiting? Most passengers use their mobile phones or other gadgets (texting, listening to music, playing games, some read books, and others talk with their companionsOBSERVATIONSDo the passengers let the disabled, pregnant women and elderly sit? Yes. (An old man and pregnant woman were both offered a seat.)Overcrowded/congested/Sardinas-like! Especially after Cubao station

OBSERVATIONSPassengers usually board on: North Ave., Quezon Ave., Cubao, Ortigas Passengers usually get off at: Shaw Blvd., Guadalupe stationLIGHT RAIL TRANSIT 2: AN OBSERVATIONDay 1: Thursday

Time: 9:00-9:30 A.M. (Recto-Santolan)OBSERVATIONSPassengers were around 15-60 years old.Most of the passengers were working, based on their attires.Some were college students (based from their IDs) and they were mostly from UP Diliman, Ateneo or Miriam.There were a few passengers going to Santolan that time unlike the train going to Recto.

OBSERVATIONSThere are no separate cabs for men and women unlike in MRT and LRT 1 but there is an allotted space for the elderly and pregnant women in the first cab.However, some senior citizens did not follow this. And they still board the other cabs.Some passengers still lean on doors even if it was not allowed.OBSERVATIONSWhen the train arrived, some passengers do not listen to the guard's constant whistles to step off the yellow line.

OBSERVATIONSMost of the passengers traveled alone.During the ride, passengers usually text messages, listen to music or read books and notes (for students).Some passengers also looked and observed the other passengers and their surroundings.Some, especially the older men, read newspapers which were given free in the stations (Inquirer Libre)OBSERVATIONSLength of service (Duration): Around 20-24 minutesMost passengers board on Recto, Legarda, V. Mapa and Araneta Center-Cubao station.Only few board on Betty Go-Belmonte and J. Ruiz.Most passengers get off on Araneta Center-Cubao, Katipunan and Santolan.LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT 2: AN OBSERVATIONDay 2: Friday

Time: 6:45 PM-7:15 PM

Santolan to Recto StationOBSERVATIONSPassengers were mostly middle-aged (late 20s to early 40s)There were a few college and high school students from UP Diliman, Miriam, Ateneo and Kostka School.Most passengers were office workers based on their attires. Most passengers did not travel alone. Some passengers were barkadas, couples, "friends".OBSERVATIONSThere were fewer passengers in the train going to Recto than the train going to Santolan.Some passengers tend to be inconsiderate. They held on the handrails as if they were their own property. OBSERVATIONSSome passengers do not follow instructions. They still lean on the doors and step on the yellow line. OBSERVATIONSLength of service (Duration): Almost 30 minutesReason: The train did not arrive immediately. Some passengers were irritated.

OBSERVATIONSMost passengers usually board on Santolan, Katipunan and Araneta Center-Cubao.Most passengers usually get off on Recto, V. Mapa, Legarda and Araneta Center-Cubao.Good: Pirated DVDsTime: Thursday, 4-5 PM

Place: Beside Mang Larry'sOBSERVATIONSPosition of product: place usually packed with people, but the spot cannot be easily noticed if seen from outside the location Way of selling: DVD's are on sidecar, only comes there at a certain time (not available on Sundays)OBSERVATIONSOBSERVATIONSOBSERVATIONSThis also provides easy transport, since the goods are illegal

COMMON DVD type-movies-foreign seriesOBSERVATIONSAvailable DVDs:- Recent Movies (Pitch Perfect, Diary of A Wimpy Kid 3, Elizabeth Taylor (Lindsay Lohan), Ruby Sparks) - Movies that are yet to be shown in Philippine Cinemas (Life of Pi, Despicable Me 2) - Foreign series - CartoonsOBSERVATIONS- Age: Ranges from pre-teens to late 50s- Occupation: Student (UP students, high school students from Miriam College, grade school student), media (from Solar Sports based on their IDs), government employee (Maynilad), vendor, housewives- Most of the customers were looking for new movies and foreign series.

OBSERVATIONS- Not all of the customers bought DVDs. Some of them were just looking around while waiting for their isaws.Some even asked for DVD reservation.- There are customers who brought their own vehicles with them.- There are customers who went alone, accompanied by a friend or the whole barkada, a partner, the family, or workmates.

OBSERVATIONS- Some were influenced by who they were with to buy.- There are customers who bought DVDs for their children, even if their children are not with them.