How walkable is Manila, really?
A recent report ranked Manila as the 12th most walkable city among many Asian cities, surpassing Tokyo, which ranked 15th. Meanwhile, Taipei was listed as the least walkable city, with Osaka placing as the fifth least walkable.
The study measured walkability based on the length of routes, time spent walking, the number of steps taken, and calories burned. Using AI, the study created a hypothetical one-day walking itinerary for each city, covering breakfast spots, attractions, lunch locations, and dinner spots.
For Manila, this 91-minute itinerary covered 6.6 kilometers, required 8,200 steps, and burned 410 calories.
Curious to explore the “walkable” part of Manila that supposedly outranked Osaka and Tokyo, I asked ChatGPT to create a similar itinerary.
Here’s what it suggested: Breakfast at The Curator Coffee & Cocktails in Legazpi Village, Makati; a tour around Intramuros in Manila; lunch at Ristorante Delle Mitre, also within Intramuros; another tour at the National Museum, and dinner at Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant in the Walled City.
This route spanned 9.1 kilometers and took 127 minutes to travel by foot, according to Google Maps —significantly longer than the figures cited in the study. It’s worth noting that ChatGPT’s suggestions vary by user and aren’t always consistent. For instance, the suggested breakfast spot was outside the city of Manila, raising questions about the accuracy of these AI-generated itineraries.
But does this itinerary paint the real state of walkability in Manila?
Walkability is more than just about distance and travel time. It encompasses safety, inclusivity, the quality of pedestrian infrastructure — such as sidewalks, overpasses, and pedestrian signals — and the overall experience of navigating the city on foot.
Pedestrian friendly infrastructures
As a reporter covering local governments in Metro Manila, I’ve spent considerable time on the streets, observing firsthand the challenges pedestrians face. Fading crosswalks, poorly maintained sidewalks, and cracked pavements are all too common.
Streets are often impassable due to potholes, puddles, street vendors, or vehicles parked on sidewalks, forcing pedestrians into the road and increasing their risk of accidents.
Walkability by James Patrick CruzThe situation worsens when it rains. When I covered a Manila City Council hearing last September 28, 2023, I found myself stranded because all three entrance and exit points of city hall were flooded. The only way out was to wade through the water — unless, of course, you had a car with a driver to pick you up at the driveway.
Some opted to walk barefoot, carrying their shoes to keep them dry. For many city hall employees accustomed to the flooding, they come prepared with rain boots.
Stranded here at the Manila City Hall because of the flood. Here’s what the three entrance/exit points of the city hall look like pic.twitter.com/5hjsFEzK7M
— Patrick Cruz (@jpatrickcruz_) September 28, 2023
If the streets near city hall, where the city leaders work daily, are already in such poor condition, what can be expected of areas farther from Manila’s seat of power?
There have been efforts to make the city more walkable, such as the improvement of walkways in Intramuros and the passage of an ordinance that bans cars along Roxas Boulevard every Sunday, opening the space for joggers, as well as bikers. However, much more needs to be done.
Safe streets
Urban safety and walkability are closely intertwined. Assessing Manila’s walkability through the lens of safety statistics, the situation appears concerning.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority‘s 2023 report showed that 3,491 pedestrians were hit by vehicles, with 427 or 12.23% of these cases reported in Manila.
Collisions that involved pedestrians were also the deadliest, accounting for 27.27% of all traffic fatalities that year in the metro. Contributing factors include inadequate pedestrian crossings, complex intersections, and visibility issues.
Safety also extends beyond vehicular hazards. Concerns about crime, such as theft, catcalling, and assault, also impact walkability. To assess this aspect of walkability, we must ask people if they feel comfortable walking the streets without fear of harassment or violence. If they must take a detour due to safety concerns, can we truly say that a city is walkable?
Inclusive streets
Inclusivity is another critical aspect of walkability. If navigating the streets is a challenge for able-bodied individuals, the difficulties are even greater for persons with disabilities. The absence of ramps for wheelchairs, unpaved sidewalks, and tactile flooring highlight how our infrastructure falls short of accommodating all pedestrians.
In many cases, pedestrian needs seem to be an afterthought in Manila’s urban planning. This should not be the case because walking is not just an alternative means of transportation — it is a vital part of daily life for many Filipinos.
Assessing how walkable a city is cannot be fully captured by AI or simple proximity measurements alone. It requires engaging with communities — talking to the real people who navigate these streets daily.
Ideally, government officials should walk with the people. Only then can they truly understand and address the challenges of Manila’s walkability. – Rappler.com
