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For many in foreign lands who don’t know, I want to share a slice of reality about the streets of Manila – don’t trust Google Maps when trying to predict how long it will take you or your staff to get anywhere in traffic.

I, like others before me, fell into the all-too-common trap of trusting Google Maps in Manila, and I can tell you first hand this is true. It’s a trap for young players indeed.

Imagine this: Google Maps confidently tells you it’ll take 30 minutes from point A to point B. In any other city, that might be the case. But here in Manila, that estimate is nothing short of Google Maps telling jokes.

Manila traffic is an entity of its own – unpredictable, often unforgiving. Trying to gauge how long a journey will take is like trying to predict unpredictable things – a blend of guesswork and hope against hope. It’s so bad, Manila ranks number 1 on TomTom’s recent Global Traffic Index for metro areas.

In a city that’s home to over 13 million people, we’ve seen how the National Capital Region has become the most congested metropolis globally in 2023. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s a profound urban crisis. On average, commuters spend 25 minutes and 30 seconds to cover just 10 kilometers, losing almost five days a year to traffic.

This situation isn’t new. Back in 2019, Waze already ranked Metro Manila as the worst city to drive in globally. The impact is not just on people’s time but also on the economy, with a 2014 study estimating the daily loss at P2.4 billion due to traffic. This cost could soar to P6 billion a day by 2030 if left unaddressed.

For now, the truth is there’s no mastering the art of navigating through this labyrinth of cars and jeepneys. Each trip is a gamble, a reminder of the patience and endurance the city demands from us.

So, to the hopeful souls still trusting in online maps for travel time for themselves or their staff going to an office, know this: Manila has its own set of rules, and time there flows on a different current.