On a recent trip to Chongqing China, I made time to ride their well-known cable car that crosses the Yangtze River. I expected a tourist experience; what I encountered was a functioning, no-nonsense mobility link used by ordinary commuters. People boarded with the same familiarity we see at LRT platforms. No fuss, no theatrics—just a reliable way of moving people across a river that would otherwise require a long trip by road.
That short ride was enough to trigger a long reflection. As a transport student, why is the Philippines not seriously considering cable cars as part of our transport mix in the Philippines?
For years, Metro Manila has ranked among the most congested cities in the world. TomTom‘s global index shows Filipino drivers lose up to ten full days annually stuck in traffic. The Asian Development Bank and Waze have echoed similar findings, cementing our place among the most difficult cities for motorists worldwide . Despite billions invested in our mobility infrastructure, congestion remains a daily problem.
As a student of transport operations and planning, I have long accepted that there is no single cure to congestion. What we need is a portfolio—what transport advocates would call a “basket of solutions.” And in that basket, there is room for a technology many still dismiss as “pang-turista”: cable-propelled transit (CPT) or cable car.
Not just for sightseeing
Cable cars have existed far longer than most people realize. Ancient ropeways appeared in China as early as 250 BC. When steel cables were introduced in the 1800s, they paved the way for modern systems, including San Francisco‘s iconic cable cars. By the mid-1900s, cable technology shifted toward recreation, especially in mountain resorts. But starting in the early 2000s, cities in Latin America rewrote that narrative by integrating CPTs into their public transport networks. Medellín’s Metrocable became the leading example—connecting steep, dense communities previously cut off from the city‘s main transit spine. This model was later replicated in Rio de Janeiro, La Paz, and Caracas .
Chongqing‘s cable system reminded me that when designed correctly, cable cars are not novelties. They are tools for everyday mobility.
Why CPTs matter for Philippine cities
Our urban geography fits the strengths of cable systems. We are a nation with river-divided cities, hilly terrain, dense urban settlements, and chronic right-of-way (ROW) challenges. CPTs directly address many of these constraints.
- Minimal ROW requirements.
Right-of-way acquisition has delayed countless Philippine infrastructure projects. Cable cars require only slender tower footprints and compact stations—significantly reducing displacement and legal entanglements. This advantage alone should get policymakers‘ attention .
- Consistent, uncongested travel times.
CPTs operate on exclusive aerial corridors, unaffected by road traffic. For cities like Manila and Cebu, this means commuters get predictable travel times regardless of ground congestion.
- Environmentally efficient.
Cable cars consume low energy due to minimal rolling resistance and the absence of onboard engines, aligning well with our transition toward cleaner transport options .
- High safety record.
International bodies such as OITAF and the European Committee for Standardization impose strict engineering standards. A Swiss study even shows that cable car passengers are far less likely to be injured compared to bus or car users—fifty times less likely than car users, in fact .
- Competitive cost profile.
While not as cheap as building a footbridge, CPTs are cheaper than rail lines and require fewer personnel to operate and maintain. They also eliminate “deadhead time,” where buses burn fuel and manpower traveling empty to their start points .
Where we can use cable cars
A CPT system is not a replacement for conventional rail or BRT. But it fills mobility gaps that ground-based systems struggle to reach.
River crossings: Davao River, Iloilo River, Cagayan River in Tuguegarao, and segments of the Pasig could benefit from Chongqing-style aerial connectors.
Mountainous terrain: Baguio, Antipolo, and Cebu City have steep, densely populated areas where road widening is expensive or impossible.
Business districts: Short-distance aerial links in Makati, BGC, and Ortigas can reduce shuttle congestion.
Airports: CPTs can serve as terminal-to-terminal connectors or provide relief for overburdened airport access roads interconnecting airports.
These are realistic, practical scenarios—not speculative dreams. Other cities have done it. We simply have to decide if we want to.
Acknowledging limitations
Cable cars are not flawless. A line stoppage affects the entire system. They cannot reroute like buses. They travel at lower maximum speeds than rail. Privacy must be considered in low-clearance areas, and some Filipinos may have a fear of heights. These limitations require planning, design adjustments, and community dialogue—but none of them are deal-breakers.
Community first Chongqin
The success of CPT systems worldwide rests on one principle: people must trust the infrastructure. This means early engagement, transparent communication, and clear policies ensuring safety, privacy, and accountability. As the uploaded material emphasizes, the community must be involved from the start because they are the most affected .
The view from Chongqing
That brief cable car ride over the Yangtze did more than move me across a river. It gave me a higher vantage point—literally and figuratively—on how we might rethink mobility in the Philippines.
Cable cars will not solve traffic alone. But they can offer fast-build, low-footprint, high-impact mobility links in areas underserved by traditional transport systems. In a country running out of road space and time, perhaps the most sensible thing we can do is to look upward—and see possibilities where we rarely bothered to look before.
(Paul Chua, PhD, holds full doctoral degrees in Fiscal Management and Peace and Security, as well as a Master’s in National Security Administration. He has completed executive programs in several countries, specializing in transport, migration, urban planning, and public policy, with emphasis on governance, innovation, and integrity)
