‘Going to war’: Philippines’ transport chief slams his ride in overcrowded bus

The highly publicised move has drawn praise from some advocacy groups, but also brickbats from critics who argue it amounts to political theatre that sidesteps deeper transport and infrastructure failures.

Giovanni Lopez, who took over as transport chief two weeks ago, described his commute on Monday as “a punishment”, recounting how he found himself packed into a public bus with 90 passengers despite it only being designed to seat up to 50.

“When I rode the bus, we were about 90 inside. You’re unable to move. You just have to breathe slowly. It was like… ‘stay calm, stay patient’,” he said on a radio programme.

Lopez added that when he boarded another bus, he was told off by a passenger that it was too full.

“I was trying to make my meeting at the office at 8am. The one riding right on the footboard said, ‘We’re full.’ I just said sorry and backed off, and looked for another bus.”

The experience was “quite chaotic,” as there were not enough vehicles to accommodate commuters, Lopez said. “It’s like you’re going to war – everyone is chasing the bus to get on.”