Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo’s claim that his travel time from New Manila in Quezon City to Malacañang would only take 15 minutes needs context.
In Panelo’s Oct. 13 interview with CNN Philippines, he said:
Unang-una, it’s not true na galing ako sa bahay at dumating ako after three or four hours. Ang katotohanan n’yan, kung galing ako mismo sa pinanggalingan ko, it will take me only 15 minutes (First of all, it’s not true that I started [my commute] from my house and I arrived after three or four hours. The truth is, if I really started from my house, it will take me only 15 minutes).
Google Maps’ estimated travel time shows it is possible to get to Malacañang from New Manila, the home of Panelo’s son and the starting point of his commute according to his press briefing on Oct. 11, in 15 minutes if Panelo left at 5:15 a.m. using a private vehicle. Panelo started his commute at 5:15 a.m. Google Maps also says travel could take up to 24 minutes depending on the traffic volume.
However, the commute might reach up to 57 minutes if he rode a public bus.
Using the LRT-2 would mean a travel time of 33 minutes, but discrepancies might occur since the transit line is only doing partial operations due to the fire damage between the Anonas and Katipunan stations.
If Panelo rode the motorcycle at the time he started his commute, he would be at Malacañang in 10 minutes or 20 minutes at most.
Google Maps says its estimated travel time may vary due to other factors such as weather, construction projects and traffic.
Panelo accepted the commute challenge when several progressive groups dared him to commute after Panelo said there was no mass transportation crisis in Metro Manila. (BM)
References
ABS-CBN News. (2019, October 14). LRT-2 full operations eyed to resume in 2 to 3 months. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/14/19/lrt-2-full-operations-eyed-to-res
CNN Philippines. (2019, October 9). Panelo accepts challenge to commute. Retrieved from
CNN Philippines. (2019, October 13). The Source: Sal Panelo [Video File]. Retrieved from
Google. (n.d.). New Manila to Malacañang Palace route. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2ITGF0L
Presidential Communications Operations Office. (2019, October 11). Press briefing of
Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Salvador
Panelo. Retrieved from https://pcoo.gov.ph/press-briefing/press-briefing-of-presidential-