Every Ride Matters: Women Commuters' Experiences

Abstract

The issue of women's security in public transportation becomes even more critical because it requires public transport to meet their mobility needs. Women's safety is becoming a priority for the government authorities to take action. The current study investigated the personal security of woman commuters in public transport in the province of Palawan, Philippines. It utilized a fieldwork approach using interviews and participant observation among fifteen (15) woman commuters from three municipalities within a three-month period. The findings concluded that the travel setting of woman commuters, such as the type of public transport, frequency of travel, travel time, duration, and reasons for travel has influenced their experiences in their access to and waiting in terminal, fear, and experience of harassment, violence, and accident, that disturbs their security in public transport. It was recommended that authorities shall enact policies to enforce public safety and address women’s travel needs in order to bridge the mobility gap in gender inclusivity. Public transportation operators shall be required to have to advertise and enforce public safety measures.