PSA: You Can Now Learn History On-the-Go Aboard the LRT1

(SPOT.ph) It's not uncommon to see people in their own little world during their daily commute. Wearing headphones or earphones has become the norm, if only to drown out the noise. But next time you're on the LRT1—the train line plying the Quezon City-Manila-Pasay route—you might want to turn down the music and pay attention to the public address system.

Good news, commuters: the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) just launched LRT-1 KasakaySayan, a brand new initiative from the train operator to bring history and heritage to Filipino commuters. Here's what you need to know about this new program that might just make your commute a bit more interesting than usual.

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On December 11, the LRMC launched its latest educational advocacy, LRT-1 KasakaySayan, a project that transforms the daily commute into an immersive journey through Philippine history and culture. If you happen to find yourself aboard some of the new fourth-generation trains, you'll hear historical trivia after the standard next station announcement for some select stations.

A signalling system prompts historical trivia to play immediately after the station announcement. These short but informative soundbites are about the place or notable person the subsequent train stop is named after. Here's a sample:

So why did they launch KasakaySayan on this specific train line? The LRT-1 is often called the Heritage Line because it traverses most of Manila's important historical and cultural landmarks. Case in point, the LRT-1's R. Papa Station connects travelers to historical cemeteries like La Loma and Manila Chinese Cemetery, both of which are visible from the passing train; or the Carriedo Station that's walking distance to Quiapo; or the line's star student United Nations Station which is where most of Metro Manila’s tourist spots are in close proximity to like the National Museum complex, Rizal Park, and many more. Unfortunately, both tourists and locals tend to overlook this—either because they’re not familiar with how close everything actually is, or because the commute isn't really conducive to cultural appreciation—but maybe this new initiative might change that.

KasakaySayan was made possible by the LRMC together with the cultural preservation group Renacimiento Manila and the creative solutions firm DDB Group Philippines. Apart from KasakaySayan, the LRMC also has other educational programs leveraging on the different spots along the Heritage Line. These projects include the ongoing ikotMNL Heritage Transit Tour, also with Renacimiento Manila, which offers monthly guided tours visiting key tourist spots located near LRT-1 stations.

For more information, visit the Light Rail Manila Corporation's Facebook page.