1. Mapping of the Public Transport
System of Metro Manila:
Responding to the Needs of the
Poor and Vulnerable Sectors
Dr. Jun T. Castro
with generous support from

2. Introduction
• Effective transportation planning requires a reliable database
• Data should be stored in a Geographic Information System (GIS) to
facilitate manipulation and checking
• Developed GIS database can be used to understand transport conditions
and demographic characteristics through thematic maps
• Several studies have used GIS for public transport planning, as well as urban
poor community planning
• However, limited studies on the connection of public transport and poor
communities using mapping techniques

3. Research Goals
• Using GIS, identify, map and assess public transportation supply (modes,
routes and facilities)
• Identify gaps in the data sets or barriers to access these data sets
• Assess the mobility of the urban poor and vulnerable sector in relation to
transport supply
• Identify transport-related improvements in infrastructure and services that
will benefit urban poor communities in the case study areas

4. Research Questions
• What is the current status of Metro Manila public transport system?
• What are the data needed to physically lay-out the transport system?
• How can the database be useful in responding to the needs of the poor?
• How extensive are informal transport hubs in Metro Manila?
• Which specific features of the existing transport facilities are particularly
unfriendly to the poor?
• What government policies are necessary to enhance responsiveness of
transport facilities and services to the poor?

5. Objectives
• Review available spatial mapping on transport including public transport
and pedestrian infrastructure
• Conduct secondary and primary data gathering
• Identify and formulate alternative mapping strategies for data collection
• Document process for generating, encoding, storing, sharing, and
displaying user-friendly maps of public transport hubs/terminals
• Develop database of public transport hubs
• Identify transport hubs (formal and informal) connecting urban poor
communities in the study areas
• Generate decision maps to meet the needs of poor/vulnerable sectors.

6. Significance of the Study
• Geographic information and analysis used to identify public transport issues
particularly those that impacts the poor, and investigate the significance of
policies, and consider development options.
• GIS mapping capabilities provide decision makers a tool to analyze mobility
and accessibility, in both visual and quantifiable terms.
• GIS files developed in this study will be useful for future research and urban
and transport planning analysis.

7. Conceptual Framework

8. Study Areas
(Source: OpenStreetMap)
North Triangle Matandang Balara Payatas
• Three poor communities as case study areas to determine impacts of public
transportation to their accessibility

9. Data Collection:
Secondary Data Collection
 Utilized data from Mega Manila Public Transport Study (2007) and other
JICA-assisted studies
 Additional information requested from Department of Public Order and
Safety (DPOS) :
• Formal and informal public transport terminal locations and pertinent
data (i.e. bus, jeepneys, FX/UV express, tricycles, pedicabs)
• Public transport routes covered by each terminal (for bus, jeepneys,
FX/UV express), and service areas (for tricycles, pedicabs)
• Pedestrian facilities, such as pedestrian walkway network,
footbridges/tunnels, etc.)

10. Data Collection:
Primary Data Collection
 Field Surveys
• Inventory of public transport terminals
• Ocular survey of public transport routes passing the study area and
their characteristics such as route names and directions.
• Inventory of pedestrian walkways
• Infrastructure improvements in the study area.

11. Data Collection:
Primary Data Collection

12. Data Collection:
Primary Data Collection
 Conversion of Data to GIS
• Collected data from field surveys were located in Google Earth and
place-marked to have geo-referenced information (i.e., longitude-
latitude coordinates).
• These are then saved as a Google Earth file (.kml or .kmz)
• The .kml or .kmz files were converted into GIS data format using any
GIS conversion software

13. Data Collection:
Primary Data Collection

14. Data Collection:
Primary Data Collection

15. Database Gaps
 Gaps in the Database
• Road-based public transport data should be given priority for update
• Need for a more comprehensive survey which utilize GPS and new
technologies
 Gaps in Spatial Data Sharing
• Lack of data model and format standardization
• Unwillingness of organizations to share data
• Technical incompatibilities that arise from different hardware
platforms, operating systems and software
• Lack of a supporting data delivery infrastructure, including network
bandwidth, organizational protocols, etc.
• Lack of coordination between local, provincial and national mapping
agencies, resulting in discrepancies about content, encoding
standards, etc.

16. GIS Mapping:
Transport Facilities
Metro Manila Road Network Metro Manila Rail Network

17. GIS Mapping:
Public Transport Terminals
 Public Transport Terminals: any
facility where passengers are
assembled or dispersed
 Transport hub: general term
referring to a central location in a
transport system with inbound and
outbound connections
 Informal terminals: areas used as
terminals that have no legal
provision and local government
ordinance that support its existence
 Field survey crucial to identify and
locate informal terminals (not
included in DPOS database)
Distribution of public transport terminals

18. GIS Mapping:
Public Transport Terminals
 Informal Public Transport
Terminals are concentrated in
the vicinity of North Triangle
(i.e., Barangays Bagong Pag-
Asa, Sto. Cristo, Ramon
Magsaysay, and Pinyahan), and
along Commonwealth Avenue
(i.e., Barangays Matandang
Balara, Batasan Hills, and
Commonwealth).
Informal Public Transport Terminals

19. GIS Mapping:
Public Transport Routes
Jeepney Routes Bus Routes

20. GIS Mapping:
Land Use Map
 Predominantly for residential
use
 Has one of the biggest informal
settlements in the metropolis
 Informal settlements
concentrated in Barangays
Pinyahan near the North
Triangle area, Barangays
Matandang Balara, Batasan
Hills, and Commonwealth along
Commonwealth Avenue, and
Barangays Payatas and Bagong
Silangan
Land Use of Quezon City

21. Spatial Analysis:
Proximity Analysis
 Proximity analysis
(buffering) used to measure
public transit accessibility
 Buffering involves the
creation of areas around a
geographical entity based
on a measurement of
distance to determine the
impacts of the particular
feature
250m Buffers of Public Transport Terminals

22. Spatial Analysis:
Kernel Density Estimation
 Kernel Density Estimation (KDE)
also used to identify the location
of the most accessible areas on
the map in terms of public
transport terminals.
 KDE is a spatial analysis of the
density of the magnitude of
terminals over the area
 Darkest areas represent places
with the highest concentration
of public transport terminals
 Most accessible areas are North
Triangle, Centris, Cubao, Munoz
Market, Commonwealth Market,
Tandang Sora, Philcoa,
Katipunan, etc.
KDE Map for Public Transport Modes

23. Spatial Analysis:
Kernel Density Estimation Map

24. Spatial Analysis:
Kernel Density Estimation Map

25. Spatial Analysis:
Kernel Density Estimation Map
 KDE used to determine the
concentration of informal
terminals
 Clustered in Barangays
Pinyahan, Bagong Pag-asa,
Sto. Cristo, and Ramon
Magsaysay near North
EDSA, in Matandang Balara,
Batasan Hills, and
Commonwealth along
Commonwealth Avenue, and
in San Vicente and Pansol.
KDE Map for Informal Terminals

26. Overlay Analysis
 Overlay of PT Terminals and
Informal Settlements
Combining the thematic layers
of buffered public transport
terminals and informal
settlements, it can be deduced
that public transport terminals
are oriented to serve people near
informal settlements

27. Overlay Analysis
 Overlay of PT Routes and
Informal Settlements
Combining the thematic layers
of buffered public transport
routes and informal settlements,
it can be deduced that public
transport terminals are oriented
to serve people near informal
settlements
 It can be said that public
transport facilities and services
are reasonably friendly to the
poor, manifested by high
accessibility of PT terminals and
availability of diverse public
transport modes

28. Overlay Analysis
 Overlay of informal
terminals and informal
settlements
Overlaying the KDE map with
the informal settlements
theme, one can speculate that
there might be a connection
between the existence of
informal public transport
terminals and informal
settlements

29. Data Sharing
 Created two
types of data
files:
1. feature data
files
consisting of
vector shape
files
2. image data
files
consisting of
geo-
referenced
maps

30. Thematic and
Analytical Map
 Analytical maps can be
produced through overlay
analysis or the combination
of several thematic maps
serving as input maps
 Thematic and analytical
maps produced can be
shared through open-source
map applications
 Public transit maps as guide
to public transport
information can be
produced and uploaded to
open-sourced maps

31. Conclusions
1. On the current status of public transport system, transport hubs and mobility
services:
• Transport accessibility was evaluated with the help of spatial analysis in GIS.
Decision maps produced show the relative accessibility of public transport
terminals.
• Public transport terminals are clearly oriented to serve people at established
transport hubs
2. On the data needed to physically lay-out the transport system in Metro Manila:
• Basic structure of GIS database currently being used by planning agencies
has been developed from past studies
• Validating and updating the database is an urgent matter for transportation
planning
3. On how database of public transport infrastructure be useful in responding to the
needs of the poor:
• GIS can be used to assess quality of PT services and identify possible
improvements. Maps become the basis for both spatial and non-spatial
decision-making.

32. Conclusions
4. On how extensive are informal transport hubs in Metro Manila and how their
features are relevant to transport and mobility of the poor:
• Informal transport hubs are quite extensive in places where there is high
demand for public transport, particularly at areas close to informal
settlements and transport hubs.
• Main feature of informal terminals is their high accessibility to public
transport users and short-walking distances.
5. On which specific features of transport facilities are unfriendly to the poor:
• Public transport facilities and services are quite “friendly” to the poor and
vulnerable sectors, as manifested by high accessibility to PT terminals and
availability of a wide-range of public transport modes.
• However, a more efficient PT system is needed to connect poor
communities seamlessly, taking into account environmental issues as well.
6. On what government policies are necessary to enhance the responsiveness of
transport facilities to the poor:
• Improvement in PT facilities, pedestrian facilities, information dissemination
(i.e., traffic signs and maps) to improve trip connectivity and mobility.

33. Thank you.