1. Bring Cash
- Of course, you can’t travel if you don’t have the Peso or the Dollar (Whew!)…

2. Bring your camera (whether it’s a digital or camera phone)
- There are a lot of beautiful sites that you will rarely see here in the city…

3. Bring your MP3 players (ipod etc…) or load up your cellphone’s music player with songs
- This is a must especially when you are traveling at night. You tend to get scared as you get farther, it’s a feeling the you are “lost in the woods” or some sort of… Also, if you are traveling on a Sunday, most probably all radio stations play old songs which I hate (not an oldies fan) except if you happen to love or at least know those songs…

4. Bring your shades or umbrella rain or shine…
- You don’t want to look awkward and have closed eyes on pictures right? To add, you’ll never when it will rain so bring your umbrellas to still enjoy the place despite of the harsh weather.

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The LRT consists of the 15 km elevated railway system servicing the route Monumento to the end station Baclaran in Pasay City. It is air-conditioned and the end-to-end route last for 30 minutes. It is convenient except during rush hours (6:30 Am to 8:00 AM) when most of its trains are jam-packed.

It has 18 stations and they can serve as drop off points if you want to go visit some places in Metro- Manila. The first station is Monumento (Filipino word for monument. A grand monument of our heroes Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio stands at the foot of the station).

If you are coming from south of Manila the end station is Monumento. From here you can go to the northern part of Metro Manila. As a drop off point for different places such as:

• Bonifacio Monument ( Caloocan City) statue of one of the great heroes of the Philippines Andres Bonifacio)
• Schools (Colleges/Universities)
  • Manila Central University and Hospital ( Caloocan City) one of the oldest universities in Metro Manila offering health sciences courses
  • University of the East (Caloocan Campus)
  • De La Salle-Araneta University (Potrero, Malabon)
  • Our Lady of Fatima University (Valenzuela)
  • World Citi College
• Bus stations going to northern Luzon, Victory Liner Bus, Baliwag Bus stations. Buses bound to the North Luzon expressway (walking distance from the station)
• Jeepney terminals going to Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela
• Kabayan Hotel (three star hotel)
• Grand Central Department Store
• Our Lady Grace Church (Oblates of Mary Immaculate)
• Malabon Zoo
• Post Office
• St Mary’s School Caloocan
• Notre Dame of Greater Manila
• Caloocan City Hall
• Caloocan High School
• Sacred Heart Dental Clinic (Morning Breeze Subdivision)

For the past 13 years I have been a rider of LRT trains going to the Pedro Gil station and lately the Gil Puyat station for work as a physician. Maybe I’m one of a few doctors who ride public transport going to and pro my clinics. Thank God all my clinics are within LRT or MRT stations. You may find it a little uncomfortable at first but when you weigh the pros and cons of it, you’ll choose to ride the trains.

With the recent increase in fare hike and the unending hike of gasoline prices, better think of options about your transportation choice. With a budget of between 90 to 100 pesos I have gone around Monumento to Taft Avenue, back to stretch of EDSA and Monumento for a day of work. It I were to have my car and travel that distance, my 500 pesos a day is not enough for the gasoline and parking fees I have to pay including the lost time I will spend for traffic. I got to pray the rosary while at the LRT train or read their LIBRE newspaper, when I traversed EDSA to Cubao, I can nap for a while. I do not think of any traffic, much less the pollution, no parking fees to worry about, within 30 minutes I have reached the other side of Metro Manila. Really less stress for me.

It is just bad when you have been used to riding a car, you will have a hard time adjusting with so many people jostling around, or you have to take several plights of stairs, which you may experience, shortness of breath. However, when you think of your health, it is a good form of exercise.

One has to be practical these days, be flexible and adaptable to the changing lifestyle brought about by less value of our peso. Take the habit of riding the train, its good for your heart, health and your pocket’s too!