Floods, Fights, and Finding My Soul in Manila

Who would’ve thought someone like me - someone who can’t swim, can’t bike, can’t even belt a decent videoke song - would survive Manila traffic for over a year and still be standing? (Barely. But still.)

Spoiler alert: I did survive, and yes, it was hell, but I learned some wild, valuable things along the way.

But before we go full-on commuter confessions, let me introduce myself: Hi, I'm Izobelle, but no one calls me that. To most people, I’m Bing.

Why Bing? Because Filipinos love shortcuts. From Izobelle to Belle to Bing. It stuck.

And now here we are. I'm Bing, and here's my story about how I've leveled up from being a Cebuana who had zero survival instinct and questionable street smarts to being a commuter who has learned to elbow her way onto a jeep at 8:00 AM with the confidence of a local raised in the worst of EDSA traffic.

In a nutshell, here’s what Manila’s traffic nightmare has taught me after 365+ days of commuting:

1. Desperation Will Teach You What Comfort Never Could

As a true-blue Cebuana, my idea of a tough commute used to be hopping on a habal-habal to beat the traffic.

I did that on a daily basis, so I thought I had a handle on rough commutes between doing the habal-habal hustle and going from one place to another in the middle of the city during peak hours.

I thought I was fucking ready. LOL.

But Manila? Entirely different beast.

I used to watch people literally fight for a seat in jeeps or buses and think, “WTF NO."

Fast forward a few months -- and a handful of teary late time-ins at work -- and guess who’s now shoving her way into the bus like her salary depends on it?

To be fair, my salary does depend on it, and that's the kind of motivational life hack that the universe itself gave me to get my ass out of the door every single day.

No one said it would be easy, I knew that, but I was grossly unprepared for how hard it was. No one warned me how physically, mentally, and emotionally draining the commute would be.

I thought I had grit, but fucking hell, Manila traffic laughed in my face.

Riding the BGC Bus During a Chill Day

My commute stories now include:

• Being sandwiched for two hours by people with zero respect for personal space,

• Almost confronting a girl who kept pushing me while trying to get herself “comfortable,”

• Witnessing full-on lovers’ quarrels and listening to strangers dump their trauma on whoever was unfortunately on the other end of their everyone-can-hear morning calls

• Watching people get pickpocketed, even seniors! (WTF right?)

• And somehow… still running into kind souls when I needed them the most and finding kindness in unexpected moments from people I’ll never see again

Daily Traffic Reality Along EDSA

Commuting in Manila traffic isn’t just a daily inconvenience. It’s a crash course in human nature, chaos theory, and stress management, all rolled into one.

It's a masterclass in stress tolerance that shows you who you become when you’re pushed past your limit. Try it and let me know how it goes for you.

2. When It Rains, It Pours and It Can Make You Cry

I’ve never liked the rain. But in Manila, it’s a different kind of torture.

Rain doesn’t just slow things down. It floods streets, cancels rides, and eats away at whatever hope you had for the day.

7th Floor View From EcoTower Building in BGC (32nd Street)

If you're lucky enough to live in a place that's near where you work, appreciate it because the alternative is plain and simply awful when you have to commute through the rain during rush-hour Manila traffic.

Me? I’m stuck commuting from Las Piñas to BGC every day because we have an apartment in LP, and my salary is not enough for me to rent my place (and I also need to ramp up my savings first).

The distance is already brutal, but when it rains? It’s like the universe is personally trying to sabotage my over-the-top effort to be on time, my already battered mental health, and whatever is left of my determination.

God knows how many mornings I called my mom while crying because I was already late for my 8:00 AM shift despite going out of the apartment at 5:30 AM (or even earlier) to start my morning commute.

Normal Commute (Easy Level)

3. Floods Are Hell on Water

Flooded Street Along Alabang-Zapote Road

Before I moved here, I’d often see news footage of Manila being submerged in floodwaters during typhoons. You could see people in the clip wading through the flood like it's just another day.

I know it's a matter of survival, but just the thought of all the nasty things in those floodwaters and having to wade through them to survive makes me want to cry.

And I was just in that position quite literally.

A few nights ago, I found myself standing on top of a stone bench as knee-deep floodwaters pooled at our subdivision gate.

I couldn't go through the gate without wading through it, and it was already past 11:00 PM, so there was barely anyone or any ride that was passing by.

I was seconds away from a full-on breakdown and crying like a baby because of just how fucking hopeless everything felt at that moment.

After the rain, the hours-long commute, the stress, and now the floodwater at our subdivision gate just when I was so close to our apartment, it was a lot to deal with in a single day.

And by miracle of miracles, someone heard my prayers (or maybe just felt bad at how desperate I was at that moment) and a tricycle passed by. The driver was down to drive me to our apartment despite being very late, and that's how I managed to get past that side quest.

However, I know I won’t always be that lucky and that reality freaks the fuck out of me.

4. I Miss My Dog More Than Anything

Real talk - commuting sucks, but leaving Chumchum behind? That hits way harder than any commute from hell.

He’s not just a pet, he’s my soul dog that saved me just when I needed saving the most from my anxiety and depression. I’ve flown home twice since I moved, and each goodbye feels heavier.

One day, I hope I can bring him with me. Or teleport home anytime I want to. Or maybe have my place where I can enjoy both my work and having Chumchum around. That will be the ultimate dream come true.

That’s it for now. I’ve got errands to run, laundry to fold, tomorrow’s commute to mentally prepare for, and other adulting crap to finish. LOL, this rant is already long enough.

But if you're reading this and you're in the middle of your own commuter survival saga, I feel you. Laban lang. I prolly stood beside you on the bus once.

Hang in there. Hug your dog. Hydrate. And may the traffic gods be kinder to you tomorrow. Bye for now. ✌️