An antidote to my mind-numbing drive: From Ortigas to Rockwell on foot
Metro Manila is famously unwalkable. But this does not mean that walkable routes are totally absent outside privately developed enclaves like BGC. Searching for walkability in Metro Manila requires an adjustment of taste: Stimulation, which are the sights (and sounds and smells) a street offers a passerby, is what Manila is rich in. These streets are not pretty like a theme park, but are of that beauty sought after by photographers: Moving, writhing, anguished but full of life, very human, and oftentimes incredibly lit. Metro Manila is not easy to love in the same way that a good photograph requires thought to frame.
The two other features of walkable cities–pedestrian safety and convenience–are only sporadically found. Anyone who wants to walk the Metro and enjoy it will need to adjust their expectations. Metro Manila is rich in walking routes that are very stimulating, many are at least minimally safe, and a few are convenient.
I searched according to this criteria for an (almost) EDSA-free walking route from UA&P to Rockwell Powerplant. During exceptional southbound congestion on EDSA, this route can be quicker than your car trip when supplemented with tricycle rides. However, I recommend a leisurely pace that allows one to take in the city. Total distance is about 5 KM. It took me a little less than 2 hours to walk this at a very leisurely pace.
Here it is:
1) Walk from UA&P to Rockwell Business Center on Sheridan street (10–15 minutes). There’s a high-end food court on the second floor. Have a cold drink on the windy verandas!
2) Walk to Brgy. Buayang Bato at the very end of Sheridan next to the river (10–15 minutes). Optionally, hop on a tricycle in front of Rockwell Business Center and tell the driver “Buayang Bato” (5 minutes, fare ₱25).
3) At Buayang Bato, enter the single street and walk the short distance to the crossing ferry station just past the covered court and multi-puropose hall. Around you is a wonderfully dense and lively neighborhood of tall and narrow apartment buildings, squat bungalows, and daily life. You’ll notice street food sold on almost every portion of this stretch. There are the usual varieties of BBQ, kwek-kwek, fishball, siomai, to full meals at the numerous karinderyas. If you’re not used to places like this, don’t worry. Because of the narrow street and density of the neighborhood, you’ll never be outside someone’s eyesight. This “eyes on the street” is one of the most important factors in street safety. When you walk here, you’ll always be within view of someone from the neighborhood. The vigilance of neighborly eyes, and there are many in Buayang Bato, is a very effective deterrent against petty crime.
Cross the river via the crossing ferry, a banca (fare ₱5).
4) At the Guadalupe side, cross the pedestrian lane around 200 meters down Rizal Avenue in the direction of the the Guadalupe Commercial Complex. Cross and make your way to the mall.
This stretch from the ferry landing to the pedestrian lane is probably the most dangerous part of the walk. There are few “eyes on the street”. To your right is the river. To your left is a wide, often fast-moving road and the parking lot of Bliss Condominiums. The condominiums are too far away to keep this part safe. I don’t recommend doing this at night. If you do, stay close to the other ferry passengers who head toward the Guadalupe Commercial Complex.
5) Walk to the cloverleaf and make your way to the Guadalupe Mall. In the mall, find the rear exit along P. Burgos. This neighborhood, Brgy. Guadalupe Nuevo, is bursting with vibrant street life: shops, street vendors, street food, fast food, convenience stores. There are many “eyes on the street”. You’ll be safe as long as you stay with the crowds. Cool off at one of the convenience stores or fast food restaurants. Find a window-seat and watch the beautiful chaos outside.
6) After, make your way toward the Shell Station at corner of Escuela and Sta. Rita. Stay parallel to EDSA and prefer streets with crowds. Alternatively, take a tricycle from the Guadalupe Mall all the way to the Shell. I haven’t tried this but there were tricycles everywhere. It should be easy.
7) At the Shell, cross EDSA via the footbridge and walk the short distance to Estrella Street. From here, One Rockwell and Powerplant Mall is a stone’s throw away. The stretch of Estrella underneath the Rockwell flyover may not be very safe at night, considering the lack of ‘eyes on the street’. Only the security guards of the Palm Village gate are an enduring presence on this stretch. I imagine Colegio de Santa Rosa becomes deserted late in the evening, home only to the occasional roving guard. In all likelihood, you’ll be safer amidst the crowds in Buayang Bato and Guadalupe Nuevo than on Estrella at night.
Once at Powerplant Mall, do what you have to do. The Rockwell Center is luxurious, comfortable, secure, and the landscaping can be beautiful. But like other wealthy and globalized districts, they look more or less the same. Whatever the essence of Metro Manila is, that moment is more likely to be encountered while walking the streets of neighborhoods like Buayang Bato and Guadalupe Nuevo.
