PNR Ride

When Dolphy's "Home Along Da Riles" was still on air, a lot of Filipinos use to watch it (including me) every Thursday night. Its story was a reflection of a family who lives along the railway, but they're still happy in spite of poverty and can still build up their house whenever it is brought into destruction by the rushing rusty train.

When you say "riles ng tren", it will automatically connote slum area plus a noisy rusty train . But hey guys, things have changed a bit, houses of a-few-inch-distance from the railway no longer exist, had them demolished and resettled by the government. The old rusty trains were replaced by air conditioned ones (pang-LRT type). Thanks to PNR, they made me want to experience this new train.

PNR is Philippine National Railways - responsible for our country's railway system. 

I have experienced riding their old non-AC rusty train a long time ago (Sucat to Sta. Mesa). Back then, my thoughts of riding that old train was full of hesitation, my friends told me that sometimes people from the slums would throw garbage at you, or worse, their fecal waste. But when I tried it myself, I found out that it wasn't so bad after all. It was fast (though a little shaky) and cheap. 

Yesterday I had another chance of riding the train, but this time with the new and improved train. My friends and I need to go to RITM in Alabang to fix some things for our OJT. Reaching Alabang from Manila would cost us 30 pesos plus our precious time if we were to ride a bus. I suggested that we could just ride the new trains of PNR.

So ayun na nga, I managed to convince them to try this PNR ride (scratch off "experiencing the new train of PNR" from my Aims 100 project).

When we got into España station (around 3:25 PM), we learned that the next train would be on 3:45 PM, we still have 20 minutes to spare. And the fare was indeed cheaper, *drum roll please* tadaaaa..... 20 pesos only. A lot of old wood serves as seat for the waiting passengers. So we waited and waited while we're seated... 
 

By the way, taking pictures is not allowed (eh makulit ako, pasensya na po PNR)...   

The train arrived at exactly 3:45 and I was very excited. As I entered the train, it felt so much like the LRT (ano nga ba dapat ko i-expect). The ride was fast, still a bit shaky, but cool and stink-free. Medyo crowded nga lang.

It's a sad thing lang na there are still a lot of informal settlers near the railway. Children still play around, running and crossing the rails. I remembered Diego of "Don't Tell My Mother" on his Manila episode featuring these little kids.

We finally reached our destination at 4:30 PM, therefore the Manila to Alabang train ride took 45 minutes. (just a little difference if we took the bus). 

Our train might not be comparable to Europe Express, but at least we have a cheap and improved train line ready to serve us, thanks again to PNR.