TRAFFIC jams have always been the scourge of workers trying to make it on time to their places of work. This is true for workers in all major metropolitan centers in the country, but is even particularly more evident for workers living in Metro Manila.
The fact is that Metro Manila has long been a major point of convergence for business and governance. It’s where many companies and government agencies are based, collectively employing thousands of workers. As such, it is no longer a surprise that these workers have to endure unbelievably long hours of commute just to get to and from work.
In fact, just last year, Metro Manila was found to have the “worst traffic on Earth” and the longest commute time at an average of 45.5 minutes from home to office in a global evaluation by GPS-based navigation app Waze.
The top-of-mind solution is to decongest the roads in Metro Manila and, as I have suggested in one of my previous columns, make it more commuter-friendly by looking into successful models being implemented in other countries—rolling in a more efficient bus system and making cities bike-friendly and “walkable.”
But even if we start now, full implementation will certainly take years. And with no immediate solution looming in the horizon, we can only look into other more feasible and practical alternatives in the meantime. One of them is for metropolitan workers to find living accommodations near their workplace.
A cross between a boutique hotel and a dormitory
However, finding the right kind of accommodation—one that is accessible, comfortable and reasonably priced all at the same time—remains a challenge because property options particularly suited for workers are limited. Comfort and accessibility often come with a hefty price tag, while those that are reasonably priced are sometimes wanting in comfort and accessibility. If you’re a young professional only starting out, your list of options narrow down even further as you also put your budget into consideration.
The good news for young employees is that Philippines Urban Living Solutions (PULS) owns, develops and manages dorms “for young professionals who work where they can’t afford to live.” In 2013 PULS established the rental brand MyTown—affordable first-class dormitories specifically catering to the yuppies, and which are strategically located within walking distance from some of the busiest business districts in Metro Manila.
“The concept was developed to service a growing work force that pours into central business districts on a daily basis. Our biggest service area is BGC, which is projected to have 360,000 office workers by 2018 from just 180,000 three years ago,” Mark Kooijman, PULS’s CEO, was quoted as saying.
You may be wondering now just what “first-class” here really means. Each MyTown dorm has a hip and modern design, and has units for one, two, or four people. Aside from quality units with cozy beds, a kitchenette and bathroom, as well as retail outlets, such as laundromats, pharmacies, payment centers and Automated Teller Machines, MyTown offers amenities that other dorms don’t. Here they have lap pools, movie theaters, game rooms, gyms, roof decks and more. It’s essentially a dormitory with the feel and look of a boutique hostel.
Coming home to these dorms from a hectic day at work, without wasting hours on end on the road, would surely entice our young work force.
Extending a helping hand to employees
PULS is currently offering MyTown units mainly to corporations who would, in turn, rent them out to their own employees. PULS’s corporate clients currently include mobile game and app developer KLab Cyscorpions and Bank of the Philippine Islands, to name a few.
I believe that offering an affordable, comfortable, accessible and safe accommodation that fits their lifestyle is a truly novel idea and is one thing that employers should consider as it is a way to show that these employers value the hard work their employees put in and are concerned for their well-being.
Individuals interested in renting out a MyTown unit themselves need not worry because PULS is also planning on offering their services to noncorporate clients.
PULS’s endeavor is truly commendable. By providing something that addresses not only the needs but also the wants of its target market—and without breaking their banks at that—the company succeeds in disrupting the real-estate sector, although in a positive way.
While we wait for our roads to unclog, perhaps, it is best that we ask our property developers to look into creating similar solutions at the interim. In effect, we may just be saving the sanity of thousands of our millennial yuppies by sparing them from the dreaded C-word: commuting.