Puckering Time

I trust you have already ridden the MRT from a certain point along the stretch of EDSA. For the cerebrally impaired, the acronym MRT stands for Metro Rail Transit, and it is one of the three means of mass transportation in Metro Manila; the other two are LRT Lines 1 and 2, respectively the yellow and purple lines. Among the three, LRT Line 2 is the most advanced in terms of service and structure. Some stations are air conditioned, and every station has vending machines that spew out tickets so the hassle of queuing up and picking fights with some rude creature in front of you who dare cut the line are eliminated. If you are the type of person who wants chaos, misdemeanors, or someone who just want to risk life, you can take the MRT. If it’s part of your grand scheme to experience advanced chaos, or more likely, death, you are always welcome to try out LRT 1.

Anyway, as far as my observations are concerned, bizarre things are going on in the MRT. For one, the trains often get stranded during rush hours due to technical problems. Or it could be due to old age since reports have it that the MRT trains are getting dilapidated and need to be upgraded, or at least, get repaired. Two, given the skyrocketing fares nowadays people have been flocking the MRT as an alternative means of transportation. The volume of the passengers obviously increased, and I don’t need to use figures and numbers in order to verify this; just be at Taft Avenue station on Mondays around 6.30 to 7 am. And three, the MRT already has its own radio station. Isn’t that great. And it is actually called…the MRT Radio. How…creative.

This MRT Radio thingy came up I think just last semester and the music genre blaring from the equally ancient speakers then were only pop jazz, bossa nova, and some assortment of boring synthesized songs so purely artificial that I could have sung them a capella and would’ve sounded better. This isn’t modesty or something. Man, if you have heard it way back when MRT Radio was just starting, you would’ve done the same thing. Funny though, that even if the passengers don’t know the songs, most of them are possessed by the songs manifested through slight tapping of one foot or both, humming, or trying to catch the lyrics even if it proved futile and stupid. Again, these are my observations.

Then lately, at the start of the second semester, things have changed. There have been advertisements by Chowking, Solmux and that moronic gorilla, among other promotional hypes. Of course, still present is the hilarious station ID, which sounded so obsolete. (It’s very…M.Y.M.P. – ish. Which made me wonder: there’s got to be a better way to make a living.) Alongside these “changes” are the music genres. From boring it went to hippy, the whiplash type of music where, if you don’t give a fart, you can sing your lungs out with it. From bossa nova to alternative rock, pure pop, and rock! Now they are playing Incubus (Incubus!), Toad the Wet Sprocket (Toad the Wet Sprocket!), Bad English (Bad English!), Itchyworms (Itchyworms!) Lifehouse (Lifehouse!), a motley crew of girly performances by Vanessa Carlton (Vanessa Carlton!), M.Y.M.P. (M.Y.M.P.!), Nina (Nina!), All Saints (huh?!), SWV (SWV!), among others. There is also some classic 80s music which is good for lulling one’s self to sleep. Maybe some radio producer or a personage in the broadcasting industry or recording company accidentally rode the MRT and got so depressed with the pathetic music that they offered the management some help. I’m just theorizing, okay. Then again, the result was good. No, it was better. All they need now is an FM radio DJ.

Now I’m just waiting for Up Dharma Down, The Gin Blossoms, Taking Back Sunday, The Fray, Pete Yorn, Hilera, Jason Mraz, and John Mayer to materialize. I half-expect to hear Ozzy Osbourne, Cueshe, Willy Revillame, Manny Pacquiao, and the song “Hotel California” on the radio every time I ride the MRT. Then again, the MRT is owned and operated by the government so it doesn’t make any difference.

Mike allegedly clacked away to post this on Saturday, December 30, 2006 at 11:38 PM.