“Being pedestrian-friendly is fake.”
This was the statement of a commuter shared by a working professional on LinkedIn about Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig. According to him, the walk is long under the hot sun and there is not enough shade. The trees are thin and there are not enough plants to hide from the sun. The stoplights give priority to vehicles over people, making it difficult for seniors to cross the wide roads.
Although there are parks in BGC like Track 30th, the poster said that these seem just decorative and not really for people. They are wide, hot and without shade, so they seem not social but business.
Someone also said that it's easy to commute if you have your own car or can book a ride-hailing app. But for those who clean, cook, guard, and support the city, the walk to public transportation is long and hot. According to him, the city's design seems more for developers than for ordinary people.
The post went viral and reached over 3,000 reactions, 369 shares, and almost 200 comments on LinkedIn. It was also reposted to the Facebook group “How’s your byahe, bes,” which garnered 1,400 likes, 1,100 shares, and 100 comments.
A netizen shared his experience with an official from the developer of BGC. He asked why the roads are not laid out in a grid like Manhattan. The official's response was: “It's better to see from above.” He also asked why there was no focus on public transportation. Response: “They are not our target market. All our target markets have cars.”
