Manila’s traffic is so bad Coldplay wrote a song about it

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and their entourage arrived at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, north of Manila, by helicopter on Friday, according to photos shared on social media.

Online critics questioned why Marcos was spending public funds to attend a concert and criticized his lack of action in fixing mass transport.

Urban mobility has long been an issue for the millions of Filipinos who face the daily reality of sitting for hours in traffic, especially in the capital, where private cars, jeepneys, taxis, buses and tricycles compete for road space, while the metro system remains underdeveloped.

On the other end of the spectrum, it is not uncommon for politicians and business executives – or their family members – to take private choppers or small aircraft to get around.

Following a barrage of online criticism, Marcos’ security commander defended his mode of transport, citing “unforeseen traffic complications” that posed security risks to the president, according to a statement on Saturday.

Even Coldplay singer Chris Martin remarked on Manila’s congestion problem, thanking concertgoers for “coming through the traffic.”

“We’ve seen some traffic, but I think you have the number one in the world” he said, while Marcos was seated in the crowd, according to videos circulated on TikTok and X. 

The next night, Martin dedicated an impromptu song about it, singing, “There is only really one thing that remains. The traffic here in Manila is completely insane.”

Manila topped the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index list of metro areas with the slowest travel time of almost 400 cities in 55 countries worldwide.

The transport-focused tech company estimates that Manila’s average speed during rush hour is 19 kilometers per hour (11 miles per hour), and about 52% of its roads are congested. Typically, it takes more than 25 minutes to travel just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

“If you wanna drive somewhere then I’m warning you. A 2-mile drive will take a week or two,” Martin added to the tune, as fans cheered in agreement. “If you wanna get back home in time for your bath, well, I’d allow yourself about a year and a half.”