By Berniemack Arellano, on July 1st, 2010%
Waiting Commuters at Talaba, Bacoor, Cavite -- ang tagal dyan kahit bukana na ng Maynila! The first is, have you tried combat commuting? I think if you live in Manila, it is essential to know combat commuting. Its a war waged every single weekday in the Philippine capital. The climax of the war at Hell’s Gate? Rush hour madness. Everyday, people try to cram themselves in buses, jeepneys and metros. Well, asi es la vida en Manila! Can’t deal with it? Might as well leave for the provincias.
Now, for a Cavite resident like me, traveling from home to work is a fact of life. Manila has become crowded and the urban expansion reached the doorsteps of its neighboring provinces, one of which is Cavite. There may be 12 million residents in Metro Manila but including the Greater Manila Area (encompassing Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan), we may even be comparable with the population of that of Mexico City, Tokyo or Mumbai! Cavite has the largest share of GMA residents-3 million people, tw0-thirds of it lives in towns near Metro Manila and along Aguinaldo Highway-the sole main artery of the province. Three million, the most populous province in the country-and with real estate blooming like lumot in the pond, its like a heart chocked with cholesterol! After all, Cavite IS a bedroom of Metro Manila.
Continue reading How Does It Feel Like Being a Caviteño Commuter?
By Berniemack Arellano, on September 28th, 2009%
Buendia Avenue, Makati City, Philippines (Photo from Skyscrapercity.com) 26 September 2009 – While working, our office is being bombarded with nature’s fury as Tropical Storm Ondoy unleashes his full fury in Philippines’ capital Manila. While we were busy taking calls, he was busy creating havoc and destruction in Manila that would make Filipinos shocked and awed with nature’s awesome power.
1 PM – Dismissal. The company would like to have their employees be safe at their site, so it was recommended that they wouldn’t leave the premises and would be given food. I decided to just leave since I was so worried with my family in Cavite. I ate a heavy meal before launching a journey in which I would never ever forget in my lifetime. Location: Market Market, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
2.30PM – Got an approval from my trainer but he reminded me to update him and at the same time, stay safe. I took the Fort Bus from Market Market in Fort Bonifacio Taguig. The driver said that the floods have subsided in some parts but EDSA was still a virtual parking lot for south bound vehicles.
2.45PM – I reached Ayala-EDSA corner. EDSA was at standstill for south bound vehicles while north bound was virtually empty. I tried to ride on a Cavite bound bus but after 15 minutes, I left and diverted to Ayala Avenue towards Buendia. For I thought that there would be an easier way up there going out of Makati through Buendia-LRT and Pasay.
3.00PM – I started walking from Ayala-EDSA through Greenbelt and Glorietta. Some shops were closed. Ayala Avenue was in the field of desolation. It was my first time seeing Makati CBD battered by a storm.
While walking the elevated walkway from Greenbelt to Rufino, Ondong unleashes again his missiles of rain and gusts. I was getting wet, but no bother…I stopped over at a 7-11 convenience store to buy me an energy drink. My motive was to at least walk all the way to Baclaran. And so I went off all the way to Makati Med. Continue reading A Journal of Crossing Metro Manila and the Floods of Ondoy
By Berniemack Arellano, on December 23rd, 2008%
 The ruins of Imelda Marcos's guesthouse supposedly for American President Ronald Reagan Mount Sungay is said to be the tallest mountain in the province of Cavite, so any ideas of trekking the summit with your usual backpack and camping stuff? Heck no! On the top of the summit is a landmark that is known in Tagaytay City, manifestation on how white elephant should be.
Formerly known as Palace in the Sky and now called People’s Park in the Sky, the mansion on top of Mount Sungay was constructed in 1970′s as a guesthouse for then US President Ronald Reagan…but it was never used at all. Oh well, there goes the people’s taxes. The mansion (now in ruins) resembled somewhat like that of Laguna’s National Arts Center, which resembles a pyramid bent heavy in its brute features.
Yet it made its presence felt on Hollywood flick as Chuck Norris shot on this location in the 1980′s as a mansion of a drug lord (too bad, the image has really been tainted) in the movie “Delta Force.”
After that, although it was a landmark and finally opened to the public sometime during the Aquino administration, it was neglected and was left to ruins or pagnakawan pa. It was shrouded in the clouds for several years
Continue reading The Palace in the Sky at Tagaytay
By Berniemack Arellano, on November 19th, 2008%
The heart of the Province of Cavite’s bureaucracy, the city that was built in 1954 and dedicated it to the thirteen martyrs of the province who have sacrificed their lives for the name of freedom from Spanish rule. The City of Trece Martires.
Located somewhat 43 kilometers down south of Manila, it is the seat of government of the province of Cavite which is located right smack at the heart of the province. Talking about transacting government business at its most strategic location.
I had a quick brush over the city as I was assisting my mom in her transaction at the Capitol, so I didn’t stayed there longer although managed to take some shots at the capitol grounds. Continue reading Cavite Central: Trece Martires City
By Berniemack Arellano, on August 22nd, 2008%
Dito na marahil sinasabi sa mga aklat ng kasaysayan, idineklara ni General Emilio Aguinaldo ang kasarinlan ng ating bansa. Alam na siguro ng madla kung saang balkonahe dahil na rin sa nakagisnang berdeng limang pisong papel noon na may larawan ng heneral na iniwawagayway ang bandila ng bagong republika sa harap ng a’la El-Shaddai na tao na iisa lang ang nararamdaman, at yun ay kagalakan.
Ok ok, alam na natin na nasa bayan ito ng Kawit Cavite, ito ay may layo sa Luneta Maynila ng higit kumulang na 20 kilometro at matatagpuan ito sa baybayin ng hilagang Cavite sa Manila Bay. Kung pupunta kayo dito ng weekday, good luck at kelangan nyong magtiis sa “Buhos” system na iniimplementa ng mga traffic enforcers ng Cavite para maibsan (o kung minsan, madagdagan) ang daloy ng trapiko. Maglagay na lang kayo ng 45 minuto hanggang isang oras sa pagbyahe…
Continue reading Bungad ng Bukhang Liwayway ng Kalayaan: Aguinaldo Shrine
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How Does It Feel Like Being a Caviteño Commuter?
Waiting Commuters at Talaba, Bacoor, Cavite -- ang tagal dyan kahit bukana na ng Maynila!
The first is, have you tried combat commuting? I think if you live in Manila, it is essential to know combat commuting. Its a war waged every single weekday in the Philippine capital. The climax of the war at Hell’s Gate? Rush hour madness. Everyday, people try to cram themselves in buses, jeepneys and metros. Well, asi es la vida en Manila! Can’t deal with it? Might as well leave for the provincias.
Now, for a Cavite resident like me, traveling from home to work is a fact of life. Manila has become crowded and the urban expansion reached the doorsteps of its neighboring provinces, one of which is Cavite. There may be 12 million residents in Metro Manila but including the Greater Manila Area (encompassing Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan), we may even be comparable with the population of that of Mexico City, Tokyo or Mumbai! Cavite has the largest share of GMA residents-3 million people, tw0-thirds of it lives in towns near Metro Manila and along Aguinaldo Highway-the sole main artery of the province. Three million, the most populous province in the country-and with real estate blooming like lumot in the pond, its like a heart chocked with cholesterol! After all, Cavite IS a bedroom of Metro Manila.
Continue reading How Does It Feel Like Being a Caviteño Commuter?