Traffic has long been a pervasive aspect of daily life for Filipinos. It is a prevalent phenomenon in densely populated areas and a multifaceted problem that has substantial implications on people’s lives. It leads to disruptions, anxiety, and financial implications for individuals, while also compromising the operational efficiency of businesses and the efficacy of emergency services. Considering this, Capstone-Intel Corporation conducted an analysis of online discussions pertaining to this issue, to gain insights into public sentiments.
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Background
The traffic situation in the Philippines, particularly in Metro Manila, is a pressing issue that affects the daily lives of millions of people. With a rapidly growing population and limited infrastructure development, congestion on the roads has become a major challenge for commuters and businesses alike.
The combination of outdated public transportation systems, inefficient traffic management, and a high number of vehicles on the road contribute to the worsening traffic conditions in the city. Metro Manila is known for its heavy traffic during peak hours, with long queues and slow-moving vehicles becoming the norm. This not only leads to increased travel times but also results in significant economic losses due to productivity decline and increased fuel consumption.
Some Filipinos’ practice involves parking a vehicle parallel to another one already parked on the roadside, effectively occupying two lanes and impeding the flow of traffic. The consequences of double parking are far-reaching and impact not only the movement of vehicles but also the overall efficiency of transportation systems in urban areas.
The lack of proper urban planning and road network expansion exacerbates the problem, as the existing roadways struggle to accommodate the ever-increasing number of vehicles. Additionally, the absence of effective traffic management strategies and enforcement of traffic rules often leads to chaotic situations on the roads, further compounding the congestion issues.
Methodology
Capstone-Intel conducted a study from June 20, 2023 and November 20, 2023. Capstone-Intel utilized its social listening tools to scan publicly available Facebook pages for the posts mentioning “traffic.” In this study, there were no specific demographics or personal data that were tracked.
The agency was able to scan 26,567 posts with a consolidated 449,550 comments, 451,315 shares, a reaction count of 3,636,748 total, and an engagement score that reached 859,944.8.
Reaction Distribution
Out of a total of 3,636,748 reactions from Facebook, 1,772,975 (48.80%) were Likes, 1,010,151 (27.80%) were categorized as Haha, 576,925 (15.90%) were Love, 199,024 (5.50%) were Sad, 44,266 (1.20%) were Wow, and 33,408 (0.90%) were Angry.
Top posts
The keyword “traffic” has generated significant levels of engagement across multiple Facebook pages belonging to news agencies and influencers. Here’s a selection of the top posts related to road traffic.
Taking the lead is a post shared by the Philippine Concerts Facebook page featuring Eric Nam’s remark, “Manila, your traffic is unparalleled.” This particular post has attained an impressive engagement score of 37,071.9, with 261,519 (98.10%) Haha, 3,840 (1.40%) Likes, 796 (0.30% Love, 202 (0%) Sad, 127 (0%) Wow, and 5 (0%) Angry.
Bandera shared a video depicting a situation of being stuck in traffic, which received an impressive engagement score of 9454.7. This has 58,663 (98.70%) Haha, 570 (1.00%) Like, 138 (0.10%) Love, 39 (0.10%) Wow, 8 (0.00%) Sad, and 2 (0.00%) Angry.
Another top post was from DZBB, highlighting a video of MMDA personnel pursuing a traffic violator. This post achieved an engagement score of 9,235.2, with 6,619 (14.30%) Likes, 169 (0.40%) Love, 39,012 (84%) Haha, 311 (0.70%) Wow, 92 (0.20%) Sad, and 216 (0.50%) Angry reactions.
