An airport lesson

While waiting at the (better) Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Terminal 3)

The last plane ride before my Palawan trip was in January 2011 for my Vietnam trip. The Palawan trip was going to be work, but a fun work, it turned out, something that I could do for the rest of my life. But a work that good truly does not exist for someone like me. So, I , together with the rest my batchmates, was nothing but grateful for the experience.

Prior to the trip, we were all excited, thirty- and twenty-year old gals and guys could not hide their excitement. We googled for places of interest (meaning, drinking) and had some difficulty in searching for one. We were probably looking at the wrong website or there could be nothing like that in existence there. But we were not completely frustrated. We cannot complain as everything in the tour was free. We did not even think of the low pressure area looming in the western part of the Philippines.

The day came when we had to leave Luzon. I brought my ever-trusted backpack that could well carry my entire house. I was not to check in my stuff; I was a light traveller, I tell myself, although I had 15 kilos of free baggage space.

Everything was running smoothly as expected except when I was stopped at the entrance to the pre-departure area because an umbrella was seen in the x-ray machine. Oh no, it was MY UMBRELLA!

"Bawal po ang payong," the security officer said.

A frozen face.

I was not going to give up my umbrella. Few weeks ago, I bought it at a price that could pay for four cups of Starbucks coffee. 


"Hindi mo na yan makukuha."

Another frozen face. Then an obedient umbrella-possessing Palawan-bound passenger unwillingly pulled an umbrella out of his bag.

Welcome to Puerto Princesa City!

I proceeded to the boarding area with a quarter of a kilo off my bag which made my trip easier as we experienced Palawan weather which was mostly fine and dry during daytime. There really was no use for an umbrella after all, and I was not really to use it as weapon and kill or injure someone; I really was not.

The plane that brought us safely to Puerto Princesa City

"Apir" part 2

Commuter did not commute this time for this story. He was with his volunteer group who had gone to Manila for the Visita Iglesia last Thursday. He was relieved to be in a private car as they visited 14 churches, mostly in Manila, for the Visita Iglesia. Had he commuted, he would have atoned all his sins.

It was a beautiful day, with occasional winds and agreeable temperature. We left Paranaque at six that Thursday morning. The road was clear, generally. Our first church was Baclaran. It was my first inside the Church. Next was Malate Church. The first time I ever heard mass in Malate was during a Simbang Gabi, after clubbing in Malate way back in college.

Malate Church

Next was the Ermita Shrine (Nuestra Senora de Guia Church in Ermita). It was my first time to be in this church. Since I was not very superstitious, I did not make wishes. My companions tell me that a first-timer in a church can make wishes.

Ermita Shrine

Then, we were off to the walled city of Intramuros. There was a Chrism Mass for priests at the Manila Cathedral. It was impossible for us to get in then. So, we walked a meters to the San Agustin Church. The Chrism Mass might be over after going to San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the country.  Its ceilings never fail to amaze me. This church was one of the reasons for my love affair with Intramuros.

San Agustin Church

When we got back to Manila Cathedral, there was still mass. Manila has many other churches, so we moved on to another historical Manila district - San Miguel.

 

Even priests have fans. The crowd outside Manila Cathedral  was waiting with banners for their respective parish priests.

At San Miguel Church near Malacanang

As we were approaching San Miguel Church, there was a procession. We did not anymore enter the church, instead we said our prayers outside. I don't know what this procession is called. Do you?

We went to school-based churches after that. There was St Jude, San Beda and San Sebastian. It was the San Sebastian Church that captured my imagination. It was the first and only steel church in the whole of Asia. From its view outside, it was majestic despite the many wires crisscrossing the view.

San Sebastian

If my memory serves me right, this was taken in UST. 

Quiapo Church

After UST, whose campus we admired, we went to Quiapo Church.

"Mall of Asia Church"

We were heading back towards South. We went to that church near the Mall of Asia. By this time we were already tired but we were closing in to our 14th Iglesia. But hungry we were not because at lunch time we were in the area of Binondo Church. We had dumplings for lunch!

Our penultimate church was St Jerome in Alabang.

St Jerome Church in Alabang

14th Church: Tuloy sa Don Bosco Church

AMEN. 

On carnapping and car ownership

Ortigas

 News nowadays makes it appear that owning a car in the country holds big risks. The news on carnapping and the killing that goes with it could send shivers to any car owner. In light of the recent crimes involving cars, a cop even suggested not to buy cars. I will be heeding that suggestion for now as financial limitation sounds to be a 'poor' reason for not having one. hehe. But I'll surely get my hands on my own automobile once PCSO has drawn my lucky combination.

As of presstime, the law agency is declaring the recent killing of two car dealers as nearly 'SOLVED.' The heinous act committed onto those two could really make people demand for the death penalty. I won't even think of being thankful for not owning a car, for no person, car-owner or not, not even an animal, should be subjected to any form of monstrosity.

Carnapping has been a lucrative job in the country since the time when demand for cheap cars rose. Everybody wants to have a piece of luxury in a country where luxury is god. Admittedy, I am part of that 'everybody,' and I also share in the rest of the population's interest in cheap cars because no teaching job could ever afford me a brand new one. Like most people, I'll probably settle for a pre-owned car, preferably a car whose owner I know. So, if you are reading this, and you a have car that you want to sell, introduce yourself to me and we will talk in five years, ok?

Kidding aside, anyone can be a victim of crime. There really is no way of saying when tragedy strikes, in the same way with luck. Much as I would like to hit it big with lotto, I know that it will never happen. It starts with betting, you know, which is something I don't do. Vigilance has to start somewhere else, too.



Makati



PWD

For simple folks like me, a birthday celebration is limited to a treat at Mcdo or Jollibee or movies at SM or just 'pancit' at home. Just imagine the simplicity of birthdays many years back when I was still a penniless 'provinciano' college student celebrating with equally penniless classmates.  Broke we were, maybe, but we were happy. A recollection of a birthday celebration of a good friend Joni never fails to bring a smile to my face. No, we didn't have fireworks and the large function rooms; we just had our poor selves as the party. We were walking as a group towards our respective jeepney points near Manila City Hall when one classmate, Toni,  walked ahead of us. For a second, I thought we lost our classmate there because of the heavy foot traffic. Then, she emerged beside a blind musician on the street to sing Joni a happy birthday.  Joni was slightly embarrassed and delighted at the same time because everybody who was walking halted briefly to witness what was taking place. It was beautiful. The group, me included, joined in the singing.

That ten or five pesos 'drop in the (blind man's) bucket' sure did bring so much joy to Joni and to all of us. It certainly did make the musician  happy, as well. This latter image got me to think about the People With Disability (PWD) making their living on the streets. I admire them for working despite their conditions; the only thing I don't like is their working environment. I couldn't completely blame them, really. There isn't much job for them although laws have been passed to create suitable jobs for PWDs. The visually-impaired who aren't working on the streets, work in massage centers. My limited knowledge about them could only think of those two as possible jobs for the visually-impaired. This is sad, my ignorance.

In a trip outside the country I took recently, I was surprised to see a blind man walk by himself, with only a cane guiding him. How did he manage to do that? My frequent use of Kuala Lumpur's train made me observe and infer something. What I thought to be a strange embossed floor design of circles and rectangles on their train stations and walkways was, in fact, a trail guide for the visually-impaired. Its technical name I do not know, but it does serve its function pretty well. I began to notice more visually-impaired people around after that discovery.

Even for a regular person, one's mobility is important for progress. Literal and figurative meaning of politicians'  battle cry of  'roads to progress' should be true to all, whether one is disabled or not. However, our streets/roads aren't friendly to the PWDs, methinks. Thus, their mobility is limited. That was why all day, they were stuck on the streets singing  love songs and happy birthday greetings.

I wish I could end this post in a happier tone like in my introduction, but I simply could not. Maybe you could.

Manila walker

I had the feeling that when they planned the whole of Manila, the city planners were not putting into consideration the many pedestrians and commuters who were to inhabit the city later on. Just look at our LRT/MRT stations. Any person using those should have a physical age of less than thirty-five to effortlessly manage those steep steps. The elevators usually render useless to the rest of the aging and disabled population; you're lucky if the escalators are working. The overpass obviously was to clear the main intersections and streets of pedestrians, and was to give pedestrians additional spiritual workout since the newer foot bridges had been constructed so high that people could almost reach heaven! I am exaggerating, of course, but I bet you'd hear the same from others.

In addition, the urban planners had entrepreneurs, instead of pedestrians, in their minds. The sidewalk was created for the enterprising Filipinos! If there are clear sidewalks, they are meant for those who are patient to walk all the way to the proper loading area. The impatient ones defy laws and concrete blocks!

With the state we are in, I don't think we will ever make it to any walkers or pedestrians' list for most walker-friendly places. Recently, the American Podiatric Medical Association released its list for American walkers. Some of the reasons that made the group include a city in the list are:

1. There are existing laws and groups promoting the welfare of pedestrians.
2. Improvements in the city’s infrastructures encourage pedestrians.
3. There aren’t many vehicles.
4. Presence of schools keeps cars from overspeeding.
5. Roads and establishments are accessible to walkers and tourists.
6. Extensive public transport system helps commuters around the city.
7. Road system connects all places of interest.
8. There are avenues for strolling and hiking.
9. There is low crime and pedestrian fatalities.
10. Pro-pedestrian schemes are existing in populous areas.
You may check the the complete article through this link here.

I went on to check the internet to find a similar post. The closest I got was a forum discussing the most walkable cities in the Philippines.  Makati, Marikina and  Ortigas seem to be the forum's metro choices.  I don't know about Marikina, but Makati and Ortigas are two wealthy areas; it's expected that they should have better infrastructures and greenery. Another interesting point in the forum is : Ayaw maglakad ang mga Pilipino dahil sa init! I'll have to agree although it's ironic because everybody even car owners is a pedestrian. I think, the moment when we, Filipinos, start to enjoy walking and see it as either a form of exercise or an environmental advocacy, that is the time when we start demanding to have ample and acceptable walking spaces.

For now, there is not much to do but be content with the comforts and discomforts Manila streets cause to a pedestrian like me. With the experiences I have in the streets of Manila, I can say that I'd be more ready and able to tread any big city street in no time.

Checklist

Outside my university, during my freshmen year,  I learned some very valuable lessons which were to aid me in the commuter life I would lead later on. INVEST IN A GOOD UMBRELLA, PAIRS OF FOOTWEAR and VITAMIN C's!

Discussing this is very timely since it's the rainy season again. How interesting and distressing Manila is when she transforms into a lake! It's not good to be a commuter during these watery times: our leather shoes' lifespan dimishes, we become prone to sickness and other water-borne diseases, we are left stranded in the city's 'highlands', vehicular traffic is on a standstill and many others that compound the misadventures of a Manila traveller.

When I was younger, bathing in rain was a natural thing to do. To feel and taste the rain was a delight, but to do it now at this time and in Manila would be kissing death. To stay away from the rain would be the better option. Filipinos also want to play.

Manila's weather, and the Philippines' in general, has influenced much of the Filipino commuters' daily knapsack content. Must haves are:

a. Umbrella. Folded umbrella is the preferred choice.

b. Slippers. Save those leather shoes!

c. Plastic bags. In absence of slippers, people wrap their feet in plastic bags.

d. Alcohol. A dip in the water requires heavy disinfection afterwards!

e. Plastic document folders or envelops. They substitute for umbrellas.

f. Raincoats or hooded jackets.

g. Tissue/'Bimpo'/Face towel. Wipe those raindrops away!

h. Loose coins. The 'padjak' guys make a killing during the rainy season and so do the 'bridgeway guards.' 

In reality, Filipinos could do away with any of these. The best weapon they have in their bags is their ingenuity that never fails to save the day.

PS. The comment box is there for a reason. Hehe.