Philippine official's commuting stunt fails to impress

Presidential aide takes 4 hours to travel 20km from home to work but insists there's no crisis

Mr Salvador Panelo, spokesman for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, took four jeepneys and a motorcycle ride to get to his office in Manila on Friday. He spent nearly four hours to travel 20km, in a much-ballyhooed publicity stunt amid complaints
Mr Salvador Panelo, spokesman for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, took four jeepneys and a motorcycle ride to get to his office in Manila on Friday. He spent nearly four hours to travel 20km, in a much-ballyhooed publicity stunt amid complaints of traffic gridlock by ordinary commuters. PHOTO: THE PHILIPPINE STAR
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It took President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman nearly four hours to commute from his home to his office 20km away on Friday, in a much-ballyhooed publicity stunt to try and prove a point.

Flying from Manila to Singapore takes less time. Also, Mr Salvador Panelo probably would have reached his destination earlier had he walked all the way. Still, he insisted there was no "mass transport crisis" in Metro Manila.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on October 13, 2019, with the headline Philippine official's commuting stunt fails to impress. Subscribe