Number ONE Tip I learned before trying to gallivant around Manila is first, to know that the fastest yet least convenient way(occasionally) to travel around this huge city is through the "Train" or the LRT/MRT and second, is to keep in mind, try to memorize and force down your hippocampus all the LRT/MRT stations, north bound and south bound.

LRT: Light Rail Transit
MRT: Metro Rail Transit
NORTH BOUND: Going up or right on the map.
SOUTH BOUND: Going down or left on the map.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN LRT AND AN MRT?
The obvious parameter to distinguish the difference between the two is that one is new and the other is old. An MRT is the one new line or series of train stations (the purple line going right and left on the map) and the LRT are the two old trains (the yellow and the blue lines on the map). According to some source the MRT is owned by a private company (Fil-Estate) while the LRTs are government owned. Based on service, both separates the women, children, disabled and senior citizens from the rest of the passengers (err males, duh?!) on the first car of the train. Unfortunately both trains are prone to overloading especially 7am-12n-7pm where passenger number peaks so you need to squeeze in quickly while loading and run to the nearest seat or handrail unless you want to strain your legs trying to balance yourself against the train's force on acceleration and deceleration.


It's highly recommended you consult Google Maps if you're going somewhere. It would be really helpful, say if you are familiar with the train stations, to locate and get to the place you'd like to go to instead of trusting taxi or FX drivers to lead you the way because we all know what kinds of shitty things happen with ignorant passengers and opportunist drivers. We could probably enumerate a lot of instances where the meter runs too fast, the driver doesn't know where he's going, he takes you around the whole city when you're only bound for somewhere just a block away to increase meter. Plus you won't really learn how to go around the huge city if you depend on taxis and FXs.

A few tips concerning riding the train, which I learned the hard way are:
1. Buy STORED VALUE TICKETS if you think you'll be using the train for quite a while. This helps you avoid the long wait in line for single journey tickets every time.
2. Pace faster. If you're slow, you may have to ride the next train or get stuck trying to fit in the overloaded train. Thus the time hassle.
3. To the ladies, please NO HEELS. You may injure yourself or someone else.
4. Work out. Get fit. You don't want to be pushed out of the overloaded train so FIGHT you way in!
5. Follow the flow. There's an entrance and an exit to the train, whether via stairs, escalator or elevator. Where people go in and go out is usually the way to go so your ignorance won't be obvious.
6. Don't always follow the flow. READ SIGNS. It's placed everywhere for your reference. Especially for north bound or south bound access, which is usually either on the left or right flight of stairs, most people tend to ride the wrong train that takes them farther away from their destination. I was one of them.
7. If you have not memorized all the stations, refer to your tickets. At the back of your ticket lies a plot of train stations for that particular line.

Riding the LRT/MRT can be both a hassle and a convenient transportation option.
Sooner or later, you'll be dreaming and working harder to get a car.