Buy condoms in Las Pinas



A young family



Since I work around the  Barangay Ayala-Alabang area, I can't help but be concerned with the barangay ordinances they come up with. The barangay council of south Manila's most affluent village address recently issued an order seeking to penalize anyone selling and buying contraceptives without a doctor's prescription. This ordinance made some noise the past week, mostly objections, citing that it conflicts with other laws and presents itself to privacy issues. As for the part of the barangay, they were firm in their ordinance. However, the city of Muntinlupa has recently disapproved the ordinance at the height of the issue. This now means that anyone in Barangay Ayala-Alabang can freely buy condoms regardless of reason. Getting a prescription costs at least P250, whereas a three-piece condom pack is just P10. If this ordinance got in the way, I think I would suggest to a possible condom consumer to shell out eight pesos for fare to Las Pinas or Alabang instead of seeking a prescription worth P250. It is good that it didn't. I have to laud the barangay, though; it did show some balls in there by coming up with that barangay resolution. But, apparently, there were more with bigger balls, who went against the influential barangay council.

The barangay condom issue came at a time when the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill is making its rounds at Congress. At mass this Sunday, there was a prayer dedicated to counter the RH Bill. The sight of the people kneeling and saying the prayer sends a strong message, I have to admit. I did kneel with the rest, but I prayed more for my future wife and mothers who would make decisions in their lives later on. I hope they make good ones as the one I am making in support of the RH Bill.

Passenger Series 2: The postman

I have seen him a couple of times before. He takes the jeep to Ayala-Alabang Village, usually around noon time when the sun is at its peak. Sometimes, he travels with a partner; that day when I took his picture, he was alone. The posh Ayala-Alabang Village is his turf. I just don't know if he covers the entire 700 hectares of the village by foot. Unlike the many postal employees I see, he doesn't have a bicycle with him. He wears a long-sleeve shirt with PHILPOST on it and a fisherman's cap. That is his work uniform. It's good to see that there is still work for the likes of him although I doubt if he still gets to deliver social letters. I surmise all he has in his messenger bag are bills and more bills.

I don't think I'll be getting anything from him,  for, one, I don't live in the village and, two, I get all my mail in my house in Paranaque and not in my workplace. The only time we will ever cross path will be when I take the jeep with him again. But if ever he has something for me, I pray he brings with him some good news. I would really like to have some.

Passenger Series 1: Ang Madre

The nun's dress has always been a source of interest to me. I don't personally know of any nun to ask questions about their get-up which they wear every day of their religious life. Although I hear their number is dwindling, they are still pretty much around. Based on some observations and stories about nuns, I have learned that there is little hair that their  headgear covers. They cut their hair really short, I hear. I inquired about their vow of poverty, too (which is something I don't want to have but is imposed on me). Would they use deodorant and shampoo? "Yes, we do, " a sister in a streetchildren center answered. Later on I gathered that they would be  given rations; a shampoo sachet or a laundry bar soap should last them a week or so. To add to whatever knowledge I have of nuns and their attire, this particular picture  above taken in one of my recent commutes just gave me a glimpse of the nuns' way of shielding themselves from pollution. I would have never thought that their veil can be used like that. Upon seeing this picture, a friend mentioned that using the veil in that manner may be deemed inappropriate to some congregations. Again, I would not know about that. I know, though, that seeing the nun riding with me in that jeep was a reassurance of a safe trip.