Some lyrics of a famous Christmas song were modified to reflect the intense traffic situation in Metro Manila approaching the Holiday season.
An independent petroleum company on Monday reminded motorists to fill their gas tanks today before the prices of fuel products will increase on December 20, Tuesday.
Gasoline, kerosene and diesel prices will reportedly increase to P0.70 per liter; P1.65 per liter and P2.90 per liter, respectively.
Metro Oil shared this announcement on its Facebook page and accompanied its post with a modified version of the “Winter Wonderland” song.
Its lyrics were originally written by Felix Bernard and Richard Bernhard Smith in 1934.
The song has been covered by over 200 artists such as Leona Lewis, Michael Bublé, Vanessa Hudgens, Gwen Stefani, Jason Mraz, Doris Day, Darlene Love and Ella Fitzgerald, among others.
“Magpa-gas na today because… To the tune of Winter Wonderland,” the petroleum company said, crediting the lyrics to Noel Ison.
Its modified version goes:
Hear the horns, they are blaring
On the road, nothing’s moving
You’re just in your car
You cannot go far
Stuck in a Manila traffic jam
Leave a space more than a meter
You’ll be blocked by a scooter
You wish you could go
But what do you know
You’re stuck in a Manila traffic jam
(Bridge)
There in front of you that they are swerving
Sitting there you wonder why you’re stuck
Looking for what’s going on, you see it
You’re queueing all behind a broken truck
Later on, I’ll inspire
As my patience expires
It’s taken so long
I’ve finished a song
Stuck in a Manila traffic jam
Performing artist Audie Gemora also shared the same version on his Twitter account.
“Ho ho ho,” he wrote on Monday.
Ho ho ho pic.twitter.com/GpCfNactXq
— Audie Gemora (@GemoraAudie) December 19, 2022
Ison’s version references the intense traffic congestion experienced in the National Capital Region nowadays, especially amid the looming Holiday season.
Commuters have been having a hard time booking rides via ride-hailing apps, while others have shared experiences of exploitative taxi drivers offering high fare rates on their own.
Passengers of public utility vehicles were also not exempted, who face snake-like queues and hours-long waiting periods.
Earlier this month, broadcast journalist Atom Araullo tweeted about the airport’s lack of public transport options.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority previously warned motorists and commuters to prepare for intense traffic jams in the NCR as Pinoys attend to errands and Christmas parties before the Holidays.
“Because of the Christmas rush, we are expecting an increase of around 10 percent in the coming day,” MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan said before, referring to the vehicular volume along EDSA.
