Manila’s Commuters Pushed for Safer Streets — and Won

This case study describes how the Move As One Coalition, an alliance of 142 civil society organizations and over 77,000 individuals, successfully advocated for a shift from car-centric to people-centered transportation policy in Manila and across the Philippines. By utilizing data and research, the coalition influenced significant funding redirections to improve public transport, pedestrian infrastructure, and worker conditions.

• The Move As One Coalition shifted the focus of transportation policy from vehicle efficiency to people-centered mobility in a city where 94% of residents walk, bike, or use public transport, while only 6% own private vehicles.
• The coalition used data-driven advocacy to highlight funding imbalances, specifically identifying that only 1% of road spending was allocated to walking, cycling, or public transport.
• Advocacy efforts influenced the redirection of an estimated $946 million in immediate transport funding and $12 billion in medium- and long-term funding toward inclusive mobility.
• Specific infrastructure improvements in Manila resulting from this advocacy include a pedestrian boulevard along the Pasig River, a car-free zone in the Intramuros district, a dedicated busway on the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) with structured boarding, and over 1,200 kilometers of bike lanes nationwide.
• The coalition improved the livelihoods of transport workers by pushing for service contracting, which transitioned bus drivers from being paid based on passenger volumes to being paid per kilometer.

APA

World Resources Institute (2026). Manila’s Commuters Pushed for Safer Streets — and Won. https://www.wri.org/insights/manilas-commuters-pushed-safer-streets-and-won

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Manila’s Commuters Pushed for Safer Streets — and Won. 2026. https://www.wri.org/insights/manilas-commuters-pushed-safer-streets-and-won.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Manila’s Commuters Pushed for Safer Streets — and Won |date=5 March 2026 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/manilas-commuters-pushed-safer-streets-and-won |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2026manilas, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Manila’s Commuters Pushed for Safer Streets — and Won}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/manilas-commuters-pushed-safer-streets-and-won}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }