Cavite-bound Buses Are Back at Lawton

Great news for Cavite residents who study or work in the City of Manila, Lawton-Cavite-bound buses are back! Yes, you heard it right!

The City Government of Manila has now allowed the entry of provincial buses coming from Cavite (Dasmariñas line, Tagaytay line, Mendez-Nuñez line, Ternate/Naic line) at Taft Avenue, all the way to Lawton (Park and Ride) from 5 in the afternoon to 6 in the morning, the next day. Although limited, the Cavite-bound buses are allowed only until Quirino LRT Station before going back to Cavite from 6AM to 5PM, everyday.

No need to wait in chaotic Buendia-Pasay!

This is still subject to changes. Better ask the bus conductors or the Manila traffic officers for more information.

Posted in MetroManila, News.

Tagged with bus, bus companies, bus route, Cavite, Dasmarinas, Erjohn and Almark, Lawton, Lorna Express, Manila, News, Philippines, San Agustin, Taft Avenue, traffic.

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By Berniemack Arellano – September 3, 2010

08-23-2010: Bloodshed at Quirino Grandstand Manila

Quirino Grandstand Flags. The location of the hostage drama

Indeed, Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, central Manila, capital of the Philippines, is one historical place. It was here where several presidents took their oaths, celebrate the independence of the country from the United States, concerts and a whole lot more. It is a landmark dedicated to the former President Elpidio Quirino. The Grandstand that I guess all Filipinos know and synonymous to Luneta and Rizal Park–just several meters away from the place. On August 01, 2010, the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III, took oath here. On August 23, 2010–a massacre unfolds as a former policeman took hostage of Hong Kong nationals in a stand-off that left the hostage and several hostages dead, and a mark of trauma in the image of the Philippines in the international community. Luneta has seen another blood spilt over her domain.

Continued…

Posted in Commentaries, Government/Civil Sites, Historical Site, MetroManila, News, Travel Reflections.

Tagged with Hostage Crisis, Luneta, Manila, Manila hostage crisis, Mendoza, News, Philippines, Quirino Grandstand.

8 comments

By Berniemack Arellano – August 23, 2010

Just Dropping by at the Philippine Congress

Batasang Pambansa - The Philippine Congress Main Hall

It was one Monday rainy afternoon. I was in a mission: To drop by at a Congressman’s office for an official endorsement. I have been to Malacañang, the Senate and the Supreme Court, but I haven’t been to The House of Representatives or locally known as Batasang Pambansa–that’s the legislative center of the Philippine Republic.

Yup. The area I guess most of us know as the center stage of the State of the Nation Addresses (SONA) of Philippine presidents, and as some critics would say, “The Crocodile Pit.” The Batasang Pambansa is where the Philippine assembly of legislative representatives from all over the archipelago, converge and make laws for the republic. Given the bicameral nature of our government, The House of the Representatives is the “lower house” while the Senate (which is in Pasay City) is the “upper house.” However, the said lower house is composed of influential people coming from the local governments.

Continued…

Posted in Government/Civil Sites, Historical Site, MetroManila, Trip.

Tagged with Batasan, Batasang Pambansa, Congress, government office, House of Representatives, legislative, Metro Manila, Philippine Congress, Philippine government, Philippines, Quezon City.

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By Berniemack Arellano – August 22, 2010

Sat Siri Akal: Spice and Prayers at Iloilo’s Nanak Darbar Temple

Iloilo Nanak Darbar Sikh Temple

For so long, I have been looking for an authentic Indian food in Metro Manila. Authentic yet affordable. However, it seems that international cooking here in the nation’s capital is equivalent to dollar rates! I have to prepare at least P300 to P400 just to satisfy my craving for international food–and one of them is from the Indian sub-continent.

Good thing though, my dad brought masala chai from India. However, my craving didn’t diminished. One night in Iloilo (on a short weekend vacation) my friend Tara and the rest of her barkada invited me for a short “cultural immersion” in Mandurriao District. Curious, when she said that we’re going to Nanak Darbar Temple–the Indian Sikh temple in Ciudad Iloilo!

Continued…

Posted in Food Trip, Iloilo, Religious Sites, Travel Reflections, Visayas.

Tagged with food, Iloilo, Iloilo City, Indian, Nanak Darbar, Philippines, Punjabi, Sikh, Sikh temple.

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By Berniemack Arellano – August 10, 2010

The Fiasco at Baclaran: Commuter’s Misery with MMDA Dispatch

Roxas Boulevard near Baclaran

PARANAQUE CITY, PHILIPPINES — Today is Baclaran Day, or the day when the devotees of Our Lady of Perpetual Help converge at Baclaran Church in Parañaque City, one of Metro Manila’s busiest and most congested districts. As expected, early morning will be the start of the traffic jam that normally occurs every Wednesdays. But this Wednesday, August 4, was no longer ordinary for me. MMDA failed big time! It failed the commuters way big time!

At around 6:10 AM, our bus from Cavite, bound for EDSA, entered Baclaran’s bus stop for the usual dispatch. They have a new chairman, a former mayor of Tagaytay City. So like always whenever there’s a new king to lead his men, they implement the traffic rules strictly. So those who disobeyed are instantly reprimanded or apprehended. Just to play it safe, the driver of the bus entered the dispatch bus stop area at Baclaran, rather than risking to pay P1,000 fine…from that time on…it was ‘haynakupo!’ for most of the passengers. It’s Baclaran Day, obviously you’re entering the eye of the storm! Continued…

Posted in Commentaries, Land Transportation, MetroManila, Transportation, Travel Reflections.

Tagged with Baclaran, bus dispatch, commentary, EDSA, land transportation, Manila, Metro Manila, MMDA, Parañaque, Philippines, traffic, traffic congestion, traffic jam.

3 comments

By Berniemack Arellano – August 4, 2010

So Good, So Fast–So Is the Information?

Having discussed about the situation of No Approved Therapeutic Claims in the provinces, especially when it comes to the rural folks, I would like to turn into something that I am somehow familiar with. Janette Toral mentioned in her blog about a particular pain killer drug brand called Saridon, which is popular in Visayas and Mindanao areas. I’m familiar with it, due to the fact that it is being advertised in Iloilo and Cebu, my two base camps in the Visayan region. I can still remember a commercial of it not so long ago. “So good, so fast!”—that was the slogan of the said medicine. The TV advertisement was frequently played in both Iloilo and Cebu. However, it is indeed “so fast” because it only lasts, I guess 15-seconds. It describes it as a very fast pain reliever for different sorts of people, from firefighters to teachers and others. However, one thing I noticed though, the broadcast seems to be localized, that when I came to Metro Manila and even the neighboring Tagalog provinces, the drug seems to hit most of its 18 million inhabitants!

Continued…

Posted in Commentaries.

1 comment

By Berniemack Arellano – August 4, 2010

No Approved Therapeutic Claims in the Probinsyas

Having spent many years in the provinces here in the Philippines, I grew up with the way of life of the probinsyanos. I’m particular in the Visayas and Mindanao areas, where my family came. Of course, cable TV and internet are available only in towns or in major urban areas, however, radio is still the number one form of communication and entertainment in the rural areas. Of course, when it comes to marketing, local AM and FM radio stations are the main medium of advertising.

However, sometime in the mid-2000′s, there seemed to be a “boom” of herbal products and alternative medicines over the air. All of a sudden, the usual farming fertilizers and poultry feeds were replaced by alternative herbal products and related stuff. Of course when it comes to marketing the product, they were insisting that your health is guaranteed to improve–to the point that even the most serious of the conditions may be healed by the alternative medicine. Of course given the lack of access to health facilities and the rural masa cannot afford to buy expensive medicines, they’ll surely be attracted with the ads and buy those!

Continued…