Seriously, if Tutubi were the president, he can improve the traffic problem not just on EDSA and Metro Manila but the whole country.

But technocrats like him don't get elected by ignorant masses whose votes can be swayed by a few "pesoses" and empty promises on election day

First step, identify the root causes of traffic problem:

1. No political will on leaders to impose traffic rules and change the status quo
2. Lack of discipline for drivers, commuters and pedestrians
3. The boundary system for jeepneys and commission system for bus drivers are EVIL!
4. Inept, if not corrupt, government heads and workers

Just to contribute positively, and not to add to his usual rant, here are his recommendations and solutions to the traffic problem with to-do list for the President, MMDA, DPWH, DOTC/LTO/LTFRB, BOC, BIR, LGUS, drivers, commuters and pedestrians


President of the Republic of the Philippines

1. Show everyone who's boss when it comes to traffic. Political will is the key if it's good for the majority
2. Appoint technocrats very capable in solving problems, rather than politicians, and with political will to get the job done.
3. Replace inefficient department/agency heads
4. Decentralize, develop other areas so that people will not go to Metro Manila to work, study and add to overcrowding.
5. Provide plan to phase out old jeepneys and the boundary system



Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)

1. Enforce traffic rules strictly:
no counterflows (Ortigas/Santolan intersection in QC, Tomas Morato/E Rodriguez in QC, Quirino Highway in QC)

no waiting near corners: Ortigas Avenue/EDSA, EDSA North Avenue (creating traffic around two u-turn slots in front of Trinoma and SM City North EDSA Annex

2. Enforce Zero Tolerance on street parking on major and alternate roads:
e.g. Roosevelt Avenue (QC), Mariposa (QC), Ortigas Avenue (San Juan, particularly the area near DLSU), Taft Avenue (Pasay and Manila, the area near, again, DLSU), Katipunan (QC, near Ateneo), Padre Zamora Bridge (Manila), Kalayaan Avenue (Makati), Lawton Avenue (Makati), Balintawak Market EDSA, QC, N. Domingo (San Juan)

This can be enforced by outsourcing the towing to other companies with tow trucks equipped with CCTV to document apprehensions and towing, proper ticketing and auditing.

3. Use contactless traffic violation receipt issuance using CCTVs at major roads and intersections. This is more of deterrent. If drivers know they can't get away with it, they'll behave. You will also reduce interaction with "kotong COPS"

4. Construct better waiting sheds against sun and rain. Did you notice heavy traffic on EDSA when it's raining? One cause of this are buses hogging one, two or even three lanes under the MRT station as most passengers are there when it's raining.

5. Use plate number recognition capabilities to CCTV to randomly check
vehicles on EDSA and tollways out of Metro Manila. You can apprehend fake plate numbers, unregistered cars, even carnapped cars using this method. This technology is not new, the software can even be developed by college students if they only thought of this

6. Decongest EDSA Ortigas
by using bollards/fence to block vehicles from Rochester to use flyover to Ortigas Center
Strictly no parking on Ortigas Avenue in front of DLSU and POEA area
Do not allow jeepneys and buses waiting too long in front of Robinsons Galleria and Eton Cyberpod Corinthian

7. Decongest EDSA Shaw Crossing
Do not allow buses waiting too long in front of Starmall, Teleperformance and Pavilion. Some bus drivers take "yosi breaks" in front of the power substation and Lux Center.
Enforce nose in/nose out policy for vehicles of SMITs building who also waits in front of the building


8. Decongest EDSA Balintawak: Do not allow parking on EDSA, no vendors on selling their wares on EDSA, no jaywalkers

9. Decongest EDSA Taft Rotonda: again, no waiting of jeepneys and buses at the corners, forbid tricycles and pedicabs. You don't need a flyover to easily ease traffic here. This intersection is the cause of traffic as far north as EDSA Crossing.

10. Decongest C5-Libis-Eastwood: do not allow the Rosario - Cubao jeepneys to park and wait on C5, again, the cause of heavy traffic in Libis - EDSA traffic area

11. Remove illegal street vendors occupying streets and sidewalks. You can see them creating traffic (I miss BF for this, someone who has political will) in Balintawak (QC), Munoz (QC), Baclaran, Divisoria, Kalayaan (Makati) and other public markets

12. Fast track the completion of integrated bus terminals, one for North-bound buses near EDSA Balintawak and another for south-bound buses near SLEX Magallanes, Makati or even Alabang, Muntinlupa. Just ensure there's the connectivity to rail, buses and jeepneys for commuter safety and convenience.

13. Optimize/Fix the traffic signal settings. Some have too short Green Light (West Avenue turning left to Baler in QC) or those traffic signals within Bonifacio Global City (BGC) that are too short to cross the street for pedestrians

14. Go after vehicles with defective headlights, brake lights, and turn signals, causing accidents and thus traffic jams. Most tricycles and jeepneys don't use headlights at night

15. Run after smoke belchers

16. Prohibit the use of very bright headlights (High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps) that cause temporary blindness of drivers that leads to accidents




Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)

1. Decongest Ortigas Avenue between EDSA and Meralco Avenue. This pile-up of vehicles is the cause of northbound traffic from Ortigas as far north as Cubao and GMA. This can be done by building underpass/interchange at Ortigas Avenue corner Meralco Avenue

2. Decongest EDSA - North Avenue -West Avenue by a tunnel or viaduct

3. Fast track the implementation of NAIA Expressway, Skyway and the SLEX-NLEX link road

4. Build new bridges: connect Lawton Avenue (Makati) to the Pasig Kapitolyo area to speed up travel from BGC to Pasig, San Francisco St (Mandaluyong) to Osmena (Makati)

5. Widen roads: C5 Bagong Ilog as bottleneck of C5 northbound all the way to BGC

6. Build viaducts/elevated roads: Kalayaan Avenue to connect EDSA to C5 bypassing the market and Lawton Avenue intersection, and with entrance from EDSA. This will decongest EDSA Buendia up to Magallanes

6. Decongest Makati (some c/o Ayala): Build underpasses/interchanges Buendia/Makati Avenue, Ayala Avenue/Buendia, Ayala Avenue/Makati Avenue, Makati Avenue/Paseo de Roxas.


Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC)
Move people instead of cars efficiently and safely by improving public transportation

1. Build mass transport rail or BRT on Ortigas Avenue going to Rizal towns then reduce/phase out jeepneys. This will de-congest Ortigas Avenue

2. Modernize the PNR, expand capacity of MRT, LRT and LRT 2. Extend the LRT up to Tagaytay to improve tourism, extend LRT 2 up to North Harbor, again for tourism and development of Tondo. Connect LRT to MRT and add another line to Espana, Quiapo

3. Build subways, they need not travel in straight lines as in like the MRT and LRT. You can have them in a circle like say from NAIA, to BGC, Ortigas Center, Cubao, Libis, UP, Balintawak (near the proposed North Bus terminal), Manila, Quiapo, Pasay, Paranaque (back in NAIA).

4. Build monorails to connect all terminals of NAIA, from NAIA to BGC, from MRT Ayala Avenue to LRT Buendia (even up to SM Mall of Asia) cutting through Makati CBD, From Cainta, Pasig to MRT Ortigas/Shaw through Ortigas Center even up to LRT 2 V Mapa, from San Juan to MRT Ortigas or Shaw, Las Pinas to the proposed LRT terminal, from Sucat to the proposed LRT terminal

5. Study better models of river ferries and even water taxis.


Land Transportation Office (LTO)

1. Require private cars/vehicles to have parking spaces for all vehicles during registration. Validate contracts and pictures by conducting random audits, punish vehicle owners for fake documents/pictures and LTO employees in collusion or not doing their jobs

2. Implement electronic tagging of all vehicles, e.g. RFID, to easily
catch unregistered vehicles, hot cars, colorum and fake plate numbers. Just don't forget to put in place privacy controls and monitoring of all access to the databases

3. Align driving license tests with first world practices of actual driving including traffic signs, turning, maneuvers and road courtesy. Make re-tests mandatory for repeat offenders or even license revocation


(Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)
an inefficient government agency just issuing but not regulating
franchises. They should just rename themselves as LTFB, since they don't do the regulatory function

1. Phase out routes not needed, redundant, overlapping e.g.

Munoz - Pantranco (QC, "terminal" at Munoz Market causing heavy traffic on Roosevelt and on Quezon Avenue corner Roces),

MCU- Munoz (QC),
Taytay - JRU/Antipolo-JRU/Binangonan-JRU overlaps with Crossing -JRU and even Pasig- Quiapo routes.

2. Catch and impound colorum jeepneys, buses and taxis. The Munoz- Vito Cruz has lots of colorum jeepneys

3. Rationalize all jeepney and bus routes. Grant a route only to a single franchise holder either a private company or transport cooperative. If there's no competition (and wage-based compensation), drivers will obey traffic rules, will not wait too long, save on fuel, load/unload at designated stops, not race/block other drivers and thus move faster

4. Grant only one franchise to cover all of EDSA, say Navotas to SM Mall of Asia or Navotas to Alabang, then separate franchises to service spokes. Drivers will then behave if they have fixed wages. This will make it two/three trips instead of one for some commuters but will be good for the majority. Probably a super franchise for EDSA will do as a start, no other bus companies in competition (some sort of a PPP) and with drivers paid decent wages and benefits

5. Mandate installation of speed limiters on public utility vehicles (buses, jeepneys, taxis, UVExpress, UV Shuttle service), probably installing CCTVs will help too in deterring crime

6. Require buses, jeepneys and taxis to install CCTVs/DVRs to deter crimes, hold-ups and snatchers. More advanced blackboxes can also be considered as it records the public utility's location via GPS, and videos of passengers and drivers, similar to how black boxes work in airplanes.


Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

1. Phase out the jeepney boundary system and commission-based system for buses. Give wage-based compensation for jeepneys and bus drivers. If this is the case, no more errant drivers in a hurry or hogging lanes/corners, competing for passengers. This can be best implemented if a route is only served by a single company or transport cooperative and not individual operators (most of which do not pay taxes by the way, hello BIR)

the boundary system is one root of this evil called traffic.

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)

Check if tricycle, jeepney, taxi and bus operators are paying the right taxes. Think most operators don't pay the right taxes. For bus companies with DOLE compliance certificates, check if drivers are really being paid decent wages and not
boundary/commission still

Bureau of Customs (BOC)

Revise the "stupid" rule which states that the date of reckoning starts on the date an imported second hand bus enters the country, and not the date of its manufacture, unlike locally procured public buses. It's a loophole against the 15 year public buses, already decrepit even if declared new. (The LTRFB knew of this loophole but instead of waiting for BOC to change their rule that may never happen, they can change the LTFRB rule to limit imported second-hand buses to just, say, 10 years instead of 15 years. It's within their power as regulator)


Local Government Units

1. Enforce traffic rules
2. Use CCTVs for contact-less traffic violation apprehensions. Manila already is going in this direction
3. Regulate, as in really regulate, tricycle franchises and impound colorum tricycles. Tricycle drivers are too brazen traffic violators. This has become a political tool, why not turn over this to MMDA?
4. Require tricycles, like other vehicles, to have parking spaces prior to registration and enforce the rule.
5. Remove illegal structures and informal settlers blocking roads (East Bank Road in Pasig, Kaliraya in QC)
6. Build more roads/bridges: connect Hemady to Scout Chuatoco (QC), extend Coronado Road up to EDSA (Mandaluyong)


Drivers

Obey traffic rules, be considerate
Load, unload only at designated stops, not at street corners


Pedestrians and Commuters

Obey the rules
No jaywalking
Ride and drop off at designated stops, do not be lazy and spoiled
Be considerate of other people


You, yes you the reader:

SHARE this post so others will know and probably catch the attention of PNoy and the heads of the various departments and agencies mentioned here.

Labels: Rants and Raves

Just when Tutubi thought colorful jeepneys are a thing of the past when jeepney operators have the money to paint jeepneys and install borloloys in them, Tutubi noticed a colorful jeepney sporting the faces of rock icons of the ages.

Can you name some of them?

It seems these jeepneys plying the Cubao - Montalban route still have the colorful designs. There were several other jeepneys Tutubi saw but never was able to take a good look or a picture unlike this one who incidentally blocked the corner of the road leading out of Avilon Zoo.


can you guess the names/bands of these rock icons?


the other side

Tutubi loves rock music, but his musical taste ranges from classical to heavy metal-- he van actually connect with almost all kinds of people :P

Labels: Jeepneys, Public Transportation

For people, friends and families intending to visit the sprawling Avilon Zoo in Rodriguez, Rizal the cheapest and/or fastest way.

Tutubi was able to visit the place when he saw discount vouchers on sale at a group buying site recently.

Herewith is the information you're looking for:

Avilon Zoo Entrance Fee/Admission price: PhP400.00
Children below 2.5 feet: PhP300.00
Senior Citizens: PhP320.00
Children below one year old: free entrance
Avilon Zoo contact number: +63.2.948.9866


How to get to Avilon Zoo, Rodriguez, Rizal:

Map of Avilon Zoo is available on OpenStreetMap here (also updated by Tutubi). Waze app on iOS and Android gives an accurate map and routing to Avilon Zoo only at the last three kilometers of the suggested route (You can search Avilon Zoo on Waze then route automatically).

Driving Directions to Avilon Zoo

From Makati (or SLEx, Laguna, Quezon, Batangas, Bicol), head to EDSA, turn right to East Avenue, enter Quezon Memorial Circle, right to Commonwealth Avenue.

If still early morning, you can turn right to IBP Road, left to Gen. Luna (landmark: Puregold), then right to M.H. del Pilar

if quite late, advise you take Payatas Road, right to E. Rodriguez Highway, left to J.P. Rizal, right M.H. del Pilar

on M.H del Pilar, you can now see direction signs to Avilon Zoo. You need to turn left to a narrow road with a market (talipapa) then cross a bridge (which looks more like a spillway of Wawa River) then a rough road (it's a private road, you need to pay PhP20.00 "toll" to use the road going to Avilon).

Ample parking in front of Avilon Zoo, there's also Noah's Park, some sort of resort and restaurant place.

Travel time from Trinoma is just around one hour early Sunday morning via Batasan Road. On the return leg, Tutubi opted to pass by Payatas Road to avoid traffic in San Mateo proper and there are no dump trucks to race with.

How to commute to Avilon Zoo:

This one's quite easy:
From MRT Cubao-Araneta Station, walk towards Araneta Coliseum then look for the jeepneys with signboard Cubao - Montalban (Rodriguez). Take the jeep then drop off in San Rafael near the gas station and talipapa where you need take a tricycle to Avilon Zoo (no idea on fares though)

Notes:

Avilon Zoo open hours/schedule:
8am to 5pm on Sunday
(no information if open on holidays like Rizal Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day, Holy Week (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, Easter Sunday)

You can bring your own food and drinks inside Avilon Zoo for free if it's home cooked (baon). Corkage fees apply per meal (PhP30.00) if you bring in food bought outside.

There's a canteen/restaurant/food court in Avilon Zoo where you can buy pizza (PhP50 for personal size, PhP150.00 family size), ice cream, chips, softdrinks (Coke in can costs PhP35.00), bottled water etc

Ark Avilon is the sister "zoo" beside Tiendesitas in Pasig, same admission price but with air-conditioned.

Other Zoo in Metro Manila:
How to Get to Manila Zoo
How to Get to Malabon Zoo

Labels: Calabarzon, Rizal, Zoos

The Overseas Employment Clearance (OEC) “is the document that will prove that they are documented Filipino workers that will entitle them to exemptions from travel tax and airport fees. [It] will also prove their ongoing membership with OWWA [Overseas Workers Welfare Administration], PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.”

It's also the evil document that's preventing Filipinos from travelling (like Tutubi who was delayed and questioned at NAIA by harassed by Immigration officer in NAIA who thought he's an OFW)

OFWs spending holidays in the Philippines can now apply for exit clearances at these locations. Here's How to get OEC during the Christmas season during your holiday:

SM Manila
Robinson’s Pioneer along EDSA, Mandaluyong
Trinoma, Quezon City
Duty Free-Paranaque
SM Pampanga, San Fernando, Pampanga

On December 23, and 26; January 2, 3, and 6, 2014 OEC processing centers will serve applicants as early as 6 a.m.

On January 4, a Saturday, Cacdac said they will also be open for transactions from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

POEA regional offices in Cebu; Davao; Tuguegarao; San Fernando, La Union; San Fernando, Pampanga; Clark; Calamba, Laguna; Naga City; Legaspi; Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, and Zamboanga.

Lastly, OFWs can also secure their exit clearance at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office even before they fly to the Philippines.

Source

Labels: OFW

Like and Share: for every 1 new like on the Facebook Page, Tutubi will donate PhP10 to the victims of #YolandaPh #Haiyan. It's that simple

Tutubi's not rich nor is he poor. Just a simple man who loves to explore and share his travel experiences and information online.

Los Angeles Lakers power forward/center donated $1000 for every point he scores in the Lakers - Warriors game (he scored 24 points in that game, so that makes it $24,000.00)

Meralco Bolts guard Mike Cortez will donate P500 for every point that he would score in the ongoing PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup.

Tutubi's not a star, doesn't make loads of money. In fact he's not afraid of the end of the world but he dreads the end of the month when it's time to pay bills. He already set aside 20% of his banner ad earnings for December 2013 for the typhoon victims and willing to give everything if people will like and share his travel blog. He's doing this to promote the blog Facebook Page, instead of paying Facebook to promote it.


It's simply his own way of helping, to give until it hurts. He's only made quite a donation, dropped off donations of his officemates to a relief group in Quezon and intending to volunteer as a driver for Oplan Hatid but his lack of time simply did not permit it.

You can't help typhoon victims simply by ranting on social media nor the mere act of Liking or Sharing, you can only doing it by donating cash or kind to relief efforts or as a volunteer warm body at relief centers.

Tutubi's actually targeting NGOs or foundations who will help Yolanda victims rebuild their lives, either by building boats and buying nets for fishermen, seeds and farming tools for farmers and other industries. These will make them less dependent on food relief.

Note: Travel bloggers make money from blogging but if you want to know how an income statement of Travel Blogging as a Business, you may click this link

Disclaimer: This proposition refers to the actual number of new Likes on Backpacking Philippines Facebook Page starting December 1, 2013 and ends on December 31, 2013. There is a number of Likes daily, from organic traffic referred by the blog.

Instead of paying Facebook to promote the page, Tutubi will help typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan victims rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient again.

UPDATE:
January 2, 2014 This "promotion" got a total of 123 likes as Tutubi did not promote it (some people may not like the idea) but Tutubi's actual donation, excluding his time and effort ferrying donations of friends and offficemates, to his chosen NGO in Quezon City far exceeded the amount required. Modesty and his not being a politician told him not divulge the actual amount, his works will be judged not by men.

Labels: Floobydust

Manila Airport coupon taxis are the most expensive taxi at NAIA but the shortest queue from the airport arrival area. The prepaid fare is usually around double the yellow airport taxi and about triple the ordinary metered taxi (if you can find one honest enough to charge you the meter)

These fare matrix table is the guide on how much is the taxi fare from Manila airport to various points in Metro Manila. These fares may change without prior notice but anything much more than this for yellow taxis and ordinary taxis are simply rip-offs.

Taxi Scams abound at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, It's a good thing Tutubi now has his own car (and on-call driver) to take, or fetch from, the airport if he's not using overnight parking

These rates are the same regardless of terminal: NAIA Terminal 1 (International arrival/departure flights), NAIA Terminal 2 (exclusive to Philippine Airlines), NAIA Terminal 3 (Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, some PAL domestic flights), and NAIA Terminal 4 (old Manila Domestic Aiport Terminal, used by AirAsia Zest, SeAir etc)

yellow cab: the manila airport metered taxi

Related Posts on Manila Airport:


How to Get to NAIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 by Bus
Manila Airport Transfers
Manila Airport Terminal Fee/Departure Tax,
Hotels Near Manila Airport
Manila Airport Guide

__________________________________________________________________________________


City Destination Area PHP Rate


CALOOCAN CITY

Maypajo / Obrero / Grace Park / Bagong Barrio West AREA 1 740.00
Sangandaan / Monumento AREA 1 740.00
Sta. Quiteria / Talipapa / Baesa AREA 2 790.00


CALOOCAN NORTH

Bagbaguin / Kaybiga AREA 1 900.00
Bagumbong / Deparo / LLANO AREA 2 940.00
Camarin / Bagong Silang / Tala AREA 3 990.00


LAS PIÑAS CITY

Almanza / Pamplona 2 AREA 3 530.00
BF Almanza AREA 3 530.00
BF Classic Homes AREA 4 610.00
BF Executive Village AREA 2 440.00
BF International AREA 2 440.00
CAA 13 Compound AREA 2 440.00
ILAYA (Marine Pond) AREA 1 330.00
Metrocor Homes AREA 4 610.00
Pamplona 1 & 3 AREA 2 440.00
Philamlife Village AREA 3 530.00
Pilar Vill Phase 4 AREA 4 610.00
Pilar / SM Southmall AREA 3 530.00
Poblacion / Manuyo Dos AREA 1 330.00
Pulang Lupa / Zapote AREA 2 440.00
Soldier Hills II AREA 4 610.00
Talon 1 & 3 AREA 2 440.00
Talon 2, 4 & 5 AREA 3 530.00


MAKATI CITY

Carmona Race Track (Sta. Ana) / Forbes Park (North) / JP Rizal AREA 2 440.00
/ Pitogo
Dasmariñas Village / Magallanes AREA 1 330.00
Forbes Park (South) / Glorietta AREA 1 330.00
Guadalupe / Makati City Hall / Urdaneta Village / South AREA 2 440.00
Cembo / Sunrise Tower
Legaspi Village / Greenbelt Park AREA 1 330.00
Olympia / Rockwell / Bell Air / Primetown Century Tower / San AREA 2 440.00
Antonio Village


MALABON

Baba / Tañong / Maysilo / Muzon AREA 2 790.00
Bayan‐Bayanan / Niugan / Tinajeros AREA 2 790.00
Concepcion / Flores AREA 2 790.00
Dagat‐Dagatan AREA 1 740.00
Panghulo / Dampalit AREA 3 850.00
Potrero / Tugatog / Acacia / Catmon AREA 2 790.00
San Agustin / Longos / Baritan AREA 2 790.00
Santolan / Hulong Duhat AREA 3 850.00


MANDALUYONG CITY

La Salle / Wack‐ Wack Golf AREA 2 610.00
Megamall A & B / Star Mall / Mandaluyong City Hall AREA 1 530.00
Shangri‐la Plaza (Edsa) AREA 1 530.00


MANILA

Adriatico Hotel AREA 1 440.00
Ambassador Hotel AREA 1 440.00
Bacood / Sta. Ana AREA 2 530.00
Central Bank / Malate AREA 1 440.00
Century Hotel AREA 1 440.00
Ermita / Intramuros AREA 2 530.00
Fort Santiago / Quiapo AREA 3 610.00
Gagalangin (Tondo) AREA 4 670.00
Harrison Plaza/Folk Arts AREA 1 440.00
Lawton/Manila City Hall AREA 2 530.00
Manila Hotel / Punta AREA 2 530.00
North Chinese Cementery AREA 4 670.00
North Harbor / Customs AREA 3 610.00
Pandacan / Malacañang AREA 2 530.00
Pier South (Pier 1 ‐ 11) AREA 2 530.00
Pier South (Pier 12 ‐up) AREA 3 610.00
Sampaloc AREA 4 670.00
San Andres Bukid AREA 1 440.00
San Miguel / Paco AREA 2 530.00
San Nicholas / Binondo AREA 3 610.00
Sta. Cruz / Sta. Mesa AREA 3 610.00
Tutuban Divisoria AREA 3 610.00


MARIKINA

Barangka (Riverbanks) AREA 2 740.00
Concepcion 1 & 2 AREA 3 790.00
Industrial Valley AREA 1 740.00
J. Dela Peña/Calumpang AREA 2 740.00
Malanday / Lamuan AREA 3 790.00
Marikina Heights AREA 3 790.00
Parang / Nangka AREA 4 850.00
Sta. Elena / Tañong AREA 2 740.00
Sto. Niño / San Roque AREA 2 740.00


MUNTINLUPA

Alabang Golf Course AREA 3 610.00
Alabang Hills 1, 2, & 3 / DSWD AREA 2 530.00
Alabang Town Center / Cupang AREA 2 530.00
Ayala Alabang Village 1 AREA 3 610.00
Ayala Alabang Village 2 / Camp Sampaguita / Putatan AREA 4 670.00
Camella Homes South AREA 5 740.00
Don Juan Bayview / Posadas Vill AREA 1 440.00
Doña Rosario (Heights & Bayview) AREA 1 440.00
Festival Mall / Metropolis AREA 3 610.00
Katarungan Vill / Camp Bukang Liwayway AREA 4 670.00
New Alabang 1 / Bayanan AREA 3 610.00
New Bilibid Prison / Poblacion / New Alabang 2 AREA 4 670.00
Refedor Teacher's Village AREA 5 740.00
Rizal Village / Buli / Sucat AREA 2 530.00
Susana Heights / Park Homes AREA 5 740.00
Victoria Homes (Tunasan) AREA 5 740.00
Villa Carolina Subdivision / Victoria Homes (Tunasan) AREA 5 740.00


NAVOTAS

Daang Hari / San Roque / San Jose AREA 2 790.00
Navotas West / Sipak ‐ Almacen AREA 2 790.00
North Bay Blvd. / Bangkulasi AREA 1 740.00
Tangos / Tanza AREA 3 850.00


PARAÑAQUE CITY

Baclaran / Bicutan Interchange AREA 2 330.00
BF Homes / Hillsborough AREA 3 440.00
Camella Homes Parañaque AREA 3 440.00
Casino Filipino AREA 1 150.00
Centennial Terminal 2 / MIAA AREA 1 150.00
Kalayaan Village / Merville AREA 2 330.00
Marcelo Green / Better Living AREA 2 330.00
Moonwalk 1 / Sto Niño / Baltao AREA 1 150.00
Moonwalk 2 / PNCC / SM Sucat AREA 2 330.00
Multinational Village 1 AREA 1 150.00
Multinational Village 2 AREA 2 330.00
Old Domestic/Duty Free AREA 1 150.00
Sun Valley/San Dionisio AREA 2 330.00
Tahanan Village/Sucat Parañaque AREA 3 440.00
Tambo / Uniwide Coastal Mall AREA 1 150.00
United Parañaque 4 AREA 3 440.00
United Parañaque/Don Bosco AREA 2 330.00
(All other streets refer to Multi 1) AREA 2 330.00
(Jerusalem St. to Tel Aviv St.) AREA 1 150.00


PASAY CITY

Airmen's Village / Pildera 1 & 2 AREA 1 150.00
Asia Pacific Hotel / PICC AREA 3 440.00
FB Harrison / Tramo AREA 2 330.00
GSIS / Senate / WTC AREA 2 330.00
Pasay City Academy AREA 3 440.00
Russian & Vietnam Embassy AREA 2 330.00
Villamor Airbase / Rivera Village AREA 1 150.00
Westin Philippine Plaza AREA 3 440.00


PASIG CITY

Bagong‐ilog AREA 1 530.00
Dela Peña / Sta. Lucia Mall AREA 4 740.00
Ever Gotesco (Ortigas) AREA 3 670.00
Kapitolyo / Valle Verde 1 AREA 1 530.00
Karangalan Village AREA 4 740.00
Manggahan / Green Park AREA 3 670.00
May Bunga / Meralco AREA 2 610.00
Pasig City Hall / Kalawaan AREA 1 530.00
Phil Sport Comm. (ULTRA) AREA 1 530.00
Pinagbuhatan/San Juaquin AREA 1 530.00
Robinson's Place AREA 4 740.00
Rosario / ADB AREA 2 610.00
San Miguel / Robinson's AREA 2 610.00
Santolan AREA 3 670.00
Sta. Lucia De Castro AREA 3 670.00
Valle Verde 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 AREA 2 610.00
(Metro East) AREA 4 740.00


PATEROS

Sta. Ana / San Pedro / Poblacion / Aguho / Martirez Del '96 All parts of Pateros 440.00


QUEZON CITY

Apolonio Samson / Balong Bato / SM West / Sikatuna AREA 3 740.00
Araneta / Tomas Morato / Cubao / Amoranto / LTO AREA 2 670.00
Bagong Bantay / Loyola Heights / QMC Memorial Circle AREA 3 740.00
Bagong Barrio East / Culiat / Sangandaan / Old Balara AREA 4 790.00
Bagong Pag‐asa / Krus na Ligas / Diliman Veteran's AREA 3 740.00
Bagumbayan (Libis) / Banawe / Kamias AREA 2 670.00
Bahay Toro / Baesa / Villa / Tandang Sora / Talipapa AREA 4 790.00
Batasan Complex / Holy Spirit AREA 5 850.00
Camp Aguinaldo / Ugong Norte AREA 1 610.00
Capitol View Park Subd.) AREA 7 940.00
Commonwealth (Amlac Ville, AREA 7 940.00
Commonwealth (Payatas) AREA 6 900.00
Countryside Vill, Zamora Homes, AREA 7 940.00
Ever Commonwealth / Fairview AREA 5 850.00
Fairview Market / Bagong Silang AREA 6 900.00
Green Meadows / Santol / PCSO AREA 1 610.00
Heart Center / Bangko Sentral / San Antonio / Damar AREA 3 740.00
La Loma / Kamuning / Sacred Heart / White Plains AREA 2 670.00
La Mesa Dam / Pason / Capri AREA 6 900.00
Manggahan / Sta. Lucia / Sauyo AREA 5 850.00
Matandang Balara 1 (Beatriz Subd., San Lorenzo St.) AREA 4 790.00
Matandang Balara 2 AREA 5 850.00
Muñoz / Proj. 6, 7, 8 / Wildlife / Balintawak / Balingasi AREA 3 740.00
New Manila / Corinthian Garden AREA 1 610.00
Pasong Putting AREA 7 940.00
Regalado H‐Way / Kaligayahan AREA 7 940.00
San Agustin / Sta. Monica AREA 6 900.00
San Bartolome / COA / Bagbag AREA 5 850.00
San Francisco Del Monte / Sta. Mesa Heights / LTFRB AREA 2 670.00
Sitio Gao / Putik / Gulod AREA 6 900.00
SM Centerpoint / Camp Crame AREA 1 610.00
UP Campus / UP Vill / Teacher's Vill / Paltok / Sto. Kristo AREA 3 740.00
Welcome Rtda / Galas / Scouts / Proj. 2, 3, 4 / Timog AREA 2 670.00
(All other streets refer to MB1) AREA 5 850.00


SAN JUAN
Greenhills / Wack‐Wack / Little Baguio / Pinaglabanan All parts of San 610.00
Juan


TAGUIG

Bagong Tanyag AREA 2 440.00
Fort Bonifacio (Lawton Avenue) AREA 1 330.00
Fort Bonifacio (Market‐Market) AREA 2 440.00
Hagonoy (Bay Breeze Village) AREA 2 440.00
Lower Bicutan / Bagumbayan AREA 2 440.00
Napindan / Tipas / Palingon AREA 3 530.00
Signal Village / Upper Bicutan AREA 1 330.00
Tuktukan / Sta. Ana / Bambang AREA 2 440.00
Western Bicutan / FTI AREA 1 330.00

*Fort Bonifacio = The Fort = Bonifacio Global City
soon to revert back to Makati City


VALENZUELA

Arkong Bato / Malinta AREA 2 850.00
Balangkas / Polo / Palasan AREA 3 900.00
Bignay / Punturin AREA 4 940.00
Fatima (MacArthur Highway) AREA 1 790.00
Gen. T. De Leon / Rincon AREA 2 850.00
Lawang Bato / Bagbaguin AREA 3 900.00
Lingunan / Canumay AREA 3 900.00
Malanday / Veintereales AREA 3 900.00
Marulas / Karuhatan AREA 1 790.00
Maysan / Mapulang Lupa AREA 2 850.00
Paso De Blas / Dalandanan AREA 2 850.00
Poblacion / Bisig / Mabolo AREA 3 900.00


Bus Stations/terminals:
including Victory Liner, Five Star, Philtranco, Raymond Transportation, Lucena Lines, HM Transport, Green Star, DLTB, Amihan, Saulog, Genesis, ES Transport, Dominion Transport, JAM Transit, Ceres Tours, JAC Liner, Pier 15 Manila,

Bus Terminals in Cubao
Bus Station in Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda

Labels: Airports, Public Transportation

Hot spring resorts are best on rainy days, not during summer!

Laguna is blessed with natural hot spring resorts, claimed to have therapeutic properties, with hot natural spring water heated by Mt. Makiling, a dormant volcano.

After a friend of his father tipped him off about a "secret" hot spring resort in Sta. Maria town, north of Paete, and very near the public cemetery of the town, the home of Three Sisters Falls, Tutubi thought of visiting it when the opportunity presented itself thus another unplanned discovery trip successfully accomplished.

the simple, "secret" hot spring resort in Sta. Maria, Laguna:

a net partially covers the large swimming pool. very good cover when it rains, you don't need to get out of the water

a small children's pool is also nearby, well, for kids

coconut trees and palms surround the area, still under development, giving the rustic feel

a group from Tanay, Rizal doing water zumba

By the way, this is just a warm spring resort, not really hot water. Tutubi finds laguna hot springs as too hot, particularly during summer, this is just right temperature to dip in the whole day even if it's raining.

Tutubi, in his probably senior moment, forgot the name of the resort but remembers the following details:

Entrance Fee: PhP50.00 (cheap, isn't it?)
Free use of tables (there are cottages too but they didn't charge, no idea on price though)
Parking is free but inadequate. The service road leading to the resort may get flooded
Toilets/ Shower room: relatively clean, don't expect five star amenities at the cheap admission fee
Food: bring your own food and drinks
videoke: the omnipresent Filipino entertainment at resorts
Overnight accommodations/room rates: not available at this time, planned though
Night swimming rate: P100.00

How to get there?

Follow this Commute to Laguna guide for starters

From Siniloan public market, take a tricycle to Sta. Maria and tell the driver about the resort using the access road that goes inside Sta. Maria public cemetery.

If you have your own vehicle, coming from Rizal province, turn left on reaching the junction of Sta. Maria and Mabitac towns on Manila East Road then turn right on the service road of the cemetery. follow direction signs, you won't get lost :P

Related Posts:
Hot Spring Resorts in Laguna
Asin Hot Spring Resorts Benguet

Labels: Calabarzon, Laguna, Laguna Resorts, Resorts

After more than seven years, this travel blog needs some sort of change, probably similar to other blogs' transformation.

Google has been very nice in 2012, the flagship year when traffic went all time high, when Penguin and Panda made this blog popular, even without any effort.

2013 began with dramatic, and still painful Google Image Search rolled out the new interface that took traffic away from publishers (even if they said it's more for the user experience, it's still unfair to picture owners though but who can punish big, mighty Google?)

Still, blog traffic is steady even if update frequency dropped to all time low.

Very late to adopt to social media, Tutubi's making up for lost time but the Facebook Page and Twitter followers all joined from blog traffic, none from promotions.

In spite of the drop in traffic, Backpacking Philippines still is one of the most visited travel blogs in the Philippines :P

After a few months, expect more fresh updates and probably blog promotions, Tutubi is really to busy with life and work.

Please expect positive changes soon.

No details for now...

Labels: Floobydust

Right after super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) slammed into the Visayas islands and caused unimaginable damage, Tutubi started getting several queries from Facebook, usually foreigners, asking whether it's still safe to visit the Philippines

Response: the Philippines is still a safe place to visit with 7100+ islands, about a small number of is are actually affected, some considered no-go zones due to inaccessibility where basic infrastructure were severly damaged

Herewith is a summary of places where you can't go right now, but encourage to visit soon to be of help to the local community. Some of these places mainly depend on tourism, veering away from them deprives the community of the help they need:

Samar
Basey
Guian (Homonhon Island, Calicoan Island, Manirica Island)
Mercedes
Salcedo
Quinapundan
Giporlos
Balangiga
Marabut

Leyte Province
Tacloban City
Palo
Tanauan
Tolosa
Dulag
Ormoc City

Cebu:
Bantayan Island: damaged but resorts are still standing
Camotes Island
Sogod, Daanbantayan
Sta. Fe
Medellin

*Cebu City is ok, only the northern part of the island is badly damaged

Aklan
Antique: northern part is badly damaged
Capiz
Iloilo: four towns under state of calamity

Boracay sustained damage but tourism is still fine there. You may be able to get huge discounts too due to lots of booking cancellations. If you book now, you're also helping restore normalcy to the battered places

Palawan

Agutaya
Araceli
Busuanga
Cagayancillo
Coron: this is now reachable with resorts open for business via Busuanga Airport
Culion
Cuyo
Dumaran
El Nido
Linapacan
Magsaysay
Roxas
San Vicente
Taytay

DISCLAIMER: this post will be updated once confirmed information about places if ok to visit unless you're giving relief aid. After a few weeks, suggest you push through with visits to help the communities get back up on their feet.

Tutubi's househelp hails from Malabuyoc, Cebu and he gives her free round-trip tickets for her annual vacation (with pay), one of the perks he gives her that's why she's been loyal to him for the last four years

The information on the RORO Bus Transport that she used to take to get to Cebu from Manila is herewith (his househelp now takes AirAsia Zest or Cebu Pacific to save travel time)

RORO Bus Transport, Inc.


Route: Manila to Cebu:
Travel time: around 24 hours
Fare: PhP1,200.00
Trip Schedule: Daily

Bus Station/Terminal: Southbound EDSA Cubao near Petron (front of SM) and Araneta Center Bus Terminal

Batangas Port to Masbate:

Bus Fare: PhP650.00

Batangas
Contact Number: +63.43.723.8989

RORO bus route is via SLEX, StarToll, Batangas Port, Masbate, then Cebu

RORO Bus transport has a facebook page and twitter but no longer maintained. Don't expect replies there for your inquiries. No official website and working telephone Numbers. Tutubi tried to inquire about their Puerto Princesa to El Nido bus route but no replies sent.

Related Posts:
Bus Terminals in Cubao
Bus Station in Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda

Labels: Buses, Public Transportation

It's a sad day for Bohol where in addition to lost lives, limbs, and damage to property, several heritage churches and structures including churches were destroyed by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake. Herewith are the before and after pictures of old stone churches made from coral stones in the beautiful island of Bohol.

Restoring these architectural gems take time and millions of pesos as well as look into alternative materials that look like coral stones, different from old stone churches of Luzon made from adobe bricks and egg whites.

Old Bohol Churches of Coral Stones before the Earthquake of October 15, 2013:

Baclayon Church



Loboc Church

Loboc Church facade. nearby is the belltower that crumbled during the earthquake

Loay Church

Santisima Trinidad Church of Loay Bohol facade with the belltower

Dauis Church



These gems of heritage were badly damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake of October 15, 2013

(credit to the original photographer/s who posted these online)

The National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has an unenviable task of trying to restore these heritage gems made of coral stones that you can no longer harvest from the sea as it's not environment friendly.

related Bohol Posts:
Dimiao Church

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Churches, National Cultural Treasures

If you wish to get to Bohol to visit family and relatives or help in disaster relief and rescue operations for the, the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Council (NDRRC) has status updates for you.

Tagbilaran Airport Status: Open

Flights to Bohol (Tagbilaran Airport) are currently cancelled by Cebu Pacific, Airphil Express and AirAsia Zest but flights to Bohol will resume soon

Ferry to Bohol: all ferry trips are cancelled including the Cebu-Bohol ferry trips and RORO bus trips

Several roads are not passable including bridges.

Will update this post when the situation improves

Labels: Floobydust

Tutubi just loves unplanned trips even just changing his usual route driving around town. It's at hidden corners and not the usual streets where he's "discovered" hidden gems of places, restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries and food trip places, one of which is this bakery selling toasted siopao from Naga City, Camarines Sur somewhere near UP Teachers Village in Quezon City.

This is a long-pending post. Tutubi was only reminded only when Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho featured this "delicacy"...err...bicol specialty on her GMA magazine show.

still hot toasted siopao showing pork asado filling

How to make toasted siopao? Toasted Siopao recipe is straightforward:

Toasted siopao, unlike regular siopao that comes in bola-bola or asado variants, is made from wheat flour thus the bread-like texture. Asado pork filling, sourced from Bicol, is stuffed then the dough with filling is baked until toasted and brown-colored.

Price is PhP8/piece

Where to buy toasted siopao in Manila:

TatyStar Bakery:

#45 Anonas Extension, Brgy Sikatuna, Quezon City
Telephone Number: +63.2.386.9604

Door 1 Dahlia Ave., West Fairview, Quezon City
Telephone Number: +63.2.466.0750

#61 CK Bldg. Visayas Ave., Brgy Vasra, Quezon City
Telephone Number: +63.2.466.1325

Remarks: No delivery and not yet ready for franchising.

3N Bakery
Alabang fronting Star Mall, 1780 Muntinlupa City
Telephone Number: 0917 809 2659
Store hours: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

with branches in Pilar, Las Pinas, R. Tirona, J. Elizalde,
Presidents avenue in BF Homes Paranaque

Labels: Bicol Cuisine, Bicol Region, Camarines Sur, Frugal Food Find, Naga City

The Paet Taka Festival is a reincarnation of the defunct Ukit Taka Festival a few years ago showcasing the art of carving of Paete in various media from the traditional wood to the present ice, vegetable, fruits, chocolate , butter and others. The date of festival celebration is reckoned from the birthday of Mariano Madrinan, a local town hero of the arts.

The street dancing pictures were taken on September 28 during the festival parade where floats from Paete's nine barangay participated.

Pictures from the Street Dance competition Paet Taka Festival, Paete, Laguna:


Next: the gigantes (giant paper mache), floats and beauty queens


Related Paete posts:
How to Get to Paete, Laguna
Tatlong Krus
Map of Paete, Laguna,
Paete Wood Carving
Salibanda

Labels: Calabarzon, Festivals, Laguna, Paete

Look! Katy Perry's latest music video of "Roar" had her, in sexy, "jungle bikini," get a glimpse of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. The music video plot is of pop singer Katy Perry stranded in a tropical jungle after surviving a plane crash.

The music video though was not shot in Tagaytay, as the picture apparently was taken from, based on the angle of the photo world's smallest volcano located in Batangas province.

As the video explicitly says, it's "a motion theory adventure filmed in in junglescope" :)

Herewith are two screengrabs from the official video of Katy Perry's Roar on YouTube:




Nice to see beautiful places featured in music videos as it promotes Philippine tourism, instead of the bad image projected by others like the "Bourne Legacy," which featured the gritty side of Manila but also showcased the beauty of the island paradise of El Nido, Palawan in the closing scene.

---

If you're curious to see what Katy Perry saw in the video, you may want to visit this How to get to Tagaytay post where you can get the same view of Taal Volcano as Katy Perry "saw".

Labels: Calabarzon, Floobydust, Metro Tagaytay, Tagaytay City, Volcanoes

After the not-so-well-attended-yet-still-successful Million People March in Luneta last August 26 to denounce the pork barrel, there's the new prayer rally at the EDSA Shrine, at the corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue right in front of Robinsons Galleria not generally suported by netizens but sanctioned by the powerful Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)

Location: EDSA Shrine, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue (Quezon City or is it now Pasig City?)
Time: 11am to 5pm (good, it will not affect Tutubi's daily grind to Makati in the morning)

Is Tutubi joining? No, it's a weekday, he'll just support online

take note that it's not only the House of Representative and the Senate who should abolish pork barrel system, large cities like Quezon City have them where councilors get lump sum amounts to implement projects (even if their job is to create local ordinances) like useless overpasses, waiting sheds and street signs just to display their names

Quezon City is the epal capital of the Philippines!

Just a very brief stop-over at Asia's biggest church structure in the heritage town of Taal, Batangas, a famous church and shoot location of several movies and TC series (teleserye).

Tutubi visited the place after participating in the annual Parada ng Lechon fiesta in Balayan, Batangas besides buying a katana (samurai sword), balisong, and several cutlery pieces in Barangay Balisong.

Pictures of Taal Basilica (Basilica of St. Martin of Tours) in Taal, Batangas:

the imposing facade of the Minor Basilica dedicated to St. Martin of Tours with a touch of classical architecture.

the interiors of the church with trompe l'oeil art technique creating a 3D illusion to churchgoers, tourists and curious visitors, similar to the ceiling of San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila

Tutubi admits though that due to very limited time, he wasn't able to fully explore the place or take better pictures from odd angles. He's sure that he'll go back to Taal town to explore more historical places and heritage treasures of this lovely town.

Notes:

How to get to Taal, Batangas, please see this post:
Mass schedules of Taal Basilica to be posted later, contact numbers for weddings, events, baptism rates and other inquiries, please call their telephone number

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Churches

Tutubi, in his never-ending quest to avoid EDSA traffic in the morning snakes through the inner roads of Quezon City, Manila, San Juan, Mandaluyong en route to the Republic of Makati (the "first world" fiefdom of Binay dynasty, the traffic capital of the Philippines that suffers from floods too despite billions in revenues and cash reserves).

One of those discoveries he's made was got lost in the Balete Drive (the infamous white lady street), Horsehoe drive, Benitez, to get to EDSA Santolan, and stumbled on the "makeshift" bus terminal of Dimple Star Transport servicing the Manila-Iloilo route via Mindoro Island (provinces of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro) and Antique

the Dimple Star Transport RORO bus terminal on EDSA, Cubao near Santolan and Boni Serrano just beside Petron gas station (southbound). It's quite a long walk from MRT Araneta Center-Cubao Station though

Dimple Star bus fare to Iloilo from Cubao: PhP1,200.00
Travel time from Manila to Iloilo: 24 hours (departure time in Manila, same time the following day arrival time in Iloilo)


Dimple Star Transport bus terminals:

Cubao - Iloilo Trips via RORO Bus Stations:

Ali Mall Cubao bus station Telephone Number: +63.2.517.4677
Santolan bus station Telephone Number: +63.2.416.8956
Pasay bus station Telephone Number: +63.2.407.4614
Alabang bus station Telephone Number: +63.2.809.7796

Dimple Star Transport will transfer all terminals when the South Integrated Bus Terminal is completed (probably in Alabang, Muntinlupa City). PLease get in touch with Dimple Star Directly though its official website, facebook account, contact number for the latest bus trip schedule, fares, reservations, freight charges.


Related Posts:
Bus Terminals in Cubao
Bus Station in Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda

Labels: Buses, Public Transportation

The annual festival of Paete, Laguna showcasing its traditional arts of ukit (carving) and taka (papier mache) that is scheduled near the birthday of Mariano Madrinan who was awarded a gold medal by the Spanish king for his Mater Dolorosa wood carving masterpiece displayed at the International Colonial and Export Exhibition in Amsterdam in 1883.


Ukit- Taka Festival Schedule of Activities:

September 23 - 26
8am Dekreta
Visual Arts Exhibit
Trade Booth Fair
Bulilit Exhibition

There will be a Higante making contest on September 26 where giants made of taka (papier mache) will be paraded around town

Sept 27
Brass Band Exhibition
Pasungaw/Bulilit Exhibit

1pm Ukit Bulilit (soap carving competition)
Woodcarving
Ice Carving

7pm Performing Arts Variety Show
Dance Contest

September 28, 2013 (Saturday)
6am Mariano Madrinan honor ceremony
1pm Mutya Taka
Taka Rosa
Pakulo (street dancing)

September 29, 2013 (Sunday)
10am Ice Carving Exhibition
Fruit and Vegetable Carving
Garnishing Demo

1pm Drum and Lyre Exhibition/Competition
6pm Awarding Ceremony
7pm Mr and Ms Paete (Beauty Contest)

Notes:

Venue will most probably be at the Paete Town Plaza, though not explicitly indicated.

Have to warn you on this, per experience and observation, the events there don't start on time, one or two hours late.
This bad habit should be changed by Paetenians if they really want to make the event famous.

The activities are typical of what you see in other festivals like the beauty contests, dance contests and street dancing (a good photo opportunity) though the demostration of ice carving, wood carving and garnishing are unique to Paete so far

In order for this festival to be famous, marketing should be improved by word of mouth, social media to make up for the perennial lack of funds.

The International Colonial and Export Exhibition in Amsterdam 1883 was a display of colonialism of imperial Europe where even locals of Java were on display in a human zoo.

Related Paete posts:
How to Get to Paete, Laguna
Tatlong Krus
Map of Paete, Laguna,
Paete Wood Carving
Salibanda

Labels: Festivals

Tutubi's home province is Laguna and it's no secret that his favorites from his home province is the popular, and traffic-casuing bakeshop of Orient The Original Buko Pie in Los Banos, Laguna.

Tutubi wishes a branch of the bakeshop opens in Manila or along the Rizal-Manila East Road en route to Quezon City that he usually takes, unlike the longer Calamba-SLEX route.

A few months ago, he chanced upon a billboard along Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road about the impending opening of the first branch of the popular bakeshop that has become synonymous with Laguna: The Original Buko Pie Bakeshop

the front signage of the bakeshop is nice, the original original shop in Los Banos is plain yet attracts many people and create traffic in the area. The Tagaytay Branch is actually in Silang, Cavite inside a Caltex gas station

the counter at the bakeshop. the menu and price list indicates PhP150.00 price per buko pie then. Tutubi returned there recently and price is now PhP170.00. Other products here are pineapple pies, espasol, cassava cake, and silvanas

The best buko pie in the Philippines, now available to Tagaytay visitors if they pass by Tagaytay - Sta. Rosa road. Best served hot, not too sweet with soft crust and just baked just right

The Original Buko Pie of Laguna, is still the best buko pie in the Philippines.
Should you challenge it, let Tutubi know so he can sample the challenger and give you his unbiased answer as this endorsement does not come with freebies nor because it came from Laguna. There are many posts here where he bashed restaurants and places in Laguna. :P

How to get there:
pass by Tagaytay- Sta Rosa Road, quite near PNP Academy but just before you reach Paseo de Sta. Rosa. Bakeshop open time is not known nor its telephone number for advance order/reservation or even franchise inquiry


Related Buko Pie Posts:

El Mare Buko Pie,
Orient The Original Buko Pie
G&B Buko Pie

Labels: Metro Tagaytay, Pasalubong

The move of the MMDA to build integrated bus terminals to limit provincial buses outside the city is really needed, but (Tutubi said but), it's implementation is wanting where the impact to commuters was not properly thought of and commuters, who were the ones affected, were not consulted.

The most glaring omission by the MMDA was the absence of the transfer buses/jeepneys to Lawton and Taft Avenue where most of those affected are heading. There are buses to EDSA passing by Uniwide Coastal Mall, particularly those going to NAIA terminals 1 and 2 (signboard MIA) but very few to accommodate the deluge of commuters from Cavite and Batangas

Expect the same chaos when the South Integrated Bus Terminal opens in Alabang, Muntinlupa (by DOTC) and the North Integrated Bus Terminal in Quezon City (reportedly temporarily at Trinoma Mall to cause major traffic there. (DPWH, it should be somewhere near Balintawak Market and LRT Station)

Herewith is the list of destinations and bus companies operating at the Uniwide Coastal Mall (Southwest Integrated Bus Terminal).
The information will be updated once available. Tutubi passed by last weekend but wasn't able to take pictures as he was driving)

Buses to Cavite routes:

Alfonso
Amadeo
Bacoor
Cavite City
Dasmarinas
General Trias
GMA (General Mariano Alvarez)
Imus
Indang
Kawit
Magallanes
Maragondon
Mendez
Naic
Noveleta
Rosario
Silang
Tagaytay City (not politically part of Cavite province)
Tanza
Ternate
Trece Martires

Batangas routes:

Balayan
Calaca
Calatagan
Lian
Nasugbu

Bus Companies, Bus Lines Operating/Making Stops there:

Crow Liner
DLTB (DLTBCo)
Erjohn & Almark
Genesis Transit
JAM Transit
Kirby Bus
Celyrosa
San Agustin Bus
Saulog Bus Line

Please call the bus company's contact numbers or visit their official website, if any, for current fares, trip schedules, chartered bus rates, reservations, freight (waybill) and other inquiries. Most of these bus companies have special trips to handle peak periods during holidays and long weekends in Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Holy Wednesday, Hole Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, and Easter Sunday), All Saints day, All Souls Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day.

How to Get to Uniwide Coastal Mall:

you can get there via MRT Taft Avenue Station or LRT EDSA Station then ride buses on EDSA with signboard MIA. Online road map of Uniwide Coastal Mall is available here

Related Bus terminals

Bus Terminals in Cubao
Bus Station in Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda

Labels: Buses, Public Transportation

Ever curious on how several barrios in Makati city surrounding Bonifacio Global City stand for?

Places like Cembo, Pembo and Comembo, used as addresses by some of Tutubi's classmates in college, located around and inside Fort Bonifacio before it was developed into what it is now?

Answer: The meaning of Cembo, Pembo, Rembo and Comembo

Enlisted Men's Barrios (EMBO) barangays are actually barrios that served as dwelling places of soldiers and their dependents
much like the Projects (Project 1, Project 2 et al) of Quezon City were for government workers

CEMBO: Central Enlisted Men's Barrio
REMBO: Riverside Enlisted Men's Barrio (there's West Rembo and East Rembo)
COMEMBO: Combat Enlisted Men's Barrio
PEMBO: Panther's Enlisted Men's Barrio (Panthers is another name for rangers)

The impending transfer of those barangays to Makati from Taguig City, makes Makati richer (already the riches city in the Philippines)

Impact:
better social services for citizens (yes, makati gives people's money away but does not do enough to improve traffic, flooding and other ills of the city)

Number coding with no window from 7am to 7pm as Taguig doesn't have number coding except on C5 and the service road similar to MMDA Number Coding

It has already been announced and by law that the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan culminating in the Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) is a national holiday but the actual day depends on the moon which can either be August 8 or August 9 (Thursday or Friday).

Now to answer the question if August 9 is a non-working holiday?

Answer: not officially yet but probably (don't quote me on this). This will be officially announced by PNoy on the week of August, most probably August 5, 2013 upon advise of Muslim scholars and authorities

UPDATE August 1, 2013: August 9 is a regular holiday now officially declared by Malacanang.

Cheers to another long weekend, as August has other holidays

Where do you intend to spend the long weekend?

if you have work on that day, DOLE pay rules may apply on holiday, overtime work :(

Right after visiting Balayan town to witness and participate in the annual Parada ng Lechon in Balayan, Tutubi passed by the heritage town of Taal, Batangas to visit the largest cathedral in the Philippines, then short pitstop in the birthplace of the Batangas balisong, the deadly butterfly knife that got its name from the small village of Taal town.

The famous butterfly knife, locally known as balisong, a deadly easily concealed and opened knife wielded to perfection by Filipinos got it's name from the place of its origin: Barangay Balisong, Taal, Batangas.

the famous...err...notorious beinte nueve balisong is 29 inches long. this comes in framed and good souvenir

you can buy kitchen knives, butcher knives, small balisong, keychains, shears, and swords

samurai swords known as katana can be had for as low as PhP500.00. Next visit Tutubi intends to get a kampilan and a kris, native swords of the ancient Filipinos and Muslims of Mindanao

Sample prices of swords, knives and balisong in Taal, Batangas:

PhP500.00 two feet katana (samurai sword) ordinary steel
PhP2000.00 up: samurai swords stainless steel
P2500.00 up: sword replicas those used in Hollywood movies and epic series (The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, 300, Game of Thrones
beinte nueve (29" fan knives begins at Php300.00 up
ordinary balisong at PhP150.00
kitchen knives also available at PhP100.00 up (stainless steel)
jungle survival knife (Rambo) at PhP800.00 up

Tutubi got hold of the business card of the shop that contains the email address and contact telephone numbers but lost it probably in transit. Intend to re-visit Taal again in the future as it's a pretty town full and proud of its well-preserved heritage.

How to Get to Taal, Batangas:

Commute: buses to Taal, Batangas can be found in Cubao, Quezon City, Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia and Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda. Look for buses with signboard Lemery and get off in Taal town (some buses don't pass by taal poblacion so you have to ride a jeepney.

There are also shuttle service/FX to Lemery at Starmall at the corner of EDSA and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong and at Metropoint Mall at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue in Pasay. Estimated fare is PhP180.00

Driving Directions to Taal, Batangas:

there are two routes to Taal, the first is via Tagaytay - Lemery and the other is long path (that Tutubi took to fetch a friend in Tanauan) via SLEx, Tanauan, Lipa. Just follow the main highway on the map of Taal town and you won't get lost.

Related Post:

Swords of Pozorrubio, Pangasinan

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, OTOP

In the never ending fight to solve Metro Manila traffic problem, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino proposes a new MMDA Number Coding system to include four numbers instead of the current two numbers of car plate last digits where all vehicles will be banned from the street two times a week.

The Proposed modified Number Coding System is illustrated here:




The new MMDA number coding system simply means an estimated reduction of 40% vehicles during the number coding time of 7am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm from the present 20% in the current system using two numbers.

Cars will then be banned from the roads two days in a week. (Disclosure: Tutubi has two cars: Scarlett's plate number ends in 3 while Juno's ends in 0, if this will be implemented, won't be affected much as his two cars are not banned on the same day. But if public transportation will be improved, he can just commute to lessen his carbon footprint :)

Question: will this apply to public utility buses and jeepneys? Tutubi thinks it should as they're really too many, blame the LTFRB for not doing their jobs. They just issue/renew franchises even if they're not really needed. They can't even enforce the phasing out of old, dilapidated buses.

MMDA chairman is laudable for really thinking and trying hard to solve the traffic problem but it's only a band-aid solution. There are many other ways to solve this. How about other government agencies?

the heavy traffic on the two-lane EDSA Ortigas flyover is the cause of heavy traffic in Cubao. See the fast moving traffic when you pass this choke point on the south-bound lane in the morning. Decongesting Ortigas Center like say an interchange at Ortigas Avenue corner Meralco Avenue and reducing the number of jeepneys going to EDSA central will have tremendous effect on EDSA Southbound traffic. Tutubi guarantees this Heavy traffic on EDSA north-bound in the evening rush hour also ends in Ortigas Center due to road constriction from 5 lanes to 2.5 lanes (Ortigas Ibabaw).

If only Tutubi can be president, he knows how to solve the traffic problem without investing something, just use political will. To solve traffic in Metro Manila, the MMDA cannot do it alone, they need the help of the following government agencies. Herewith are Tutubi's suggestions:


MMDA: ENFORCE TRAFFIC RULES, lobby to pass an enabling law on contact-less traffic violation tickets using CCTVs so as to penalize even government vehicles and protocol plates, e.g. the notorious number 8 of congressmen, (Drivers will behave if they know they will be caught) ban provincial buses on EDSA by constructing integrated bus terminals near SLEx and NLEx. Construct better waiting sheds for commuters to protect them from rain (one of the reasons why heavy traffic on EDSA when it rains is that buses compete for passengers waiting under MRT stations as they're safe from the rain there)

DOTC: improve public transportation safety and efficiency, move people instead of vehicles e.g. more LRT, monorails from Airport to BGC, Makati CBD and Ortigas Center

LTO/LTFRB: remove all colorum vehicles, implement RFID, other electronic tagging or even automatic plate number recognition of all public utility vehicles to easily identify colorum buses and jeepneys, remove redundant jeepney routes (like the Munoz-Pantranco route in Quezon City), allow car registration only upon proof of garage/parking area, rationalize the EDSA Bus routes (note: all those buses pass by the segment of East Avenue to Ayala Avenue) and jeepney routes (e.g. Espana in Manila receives all jeepneys from Quezon City, Ortigas Avenue all jeepneys to EDSA Central from Rizal) and lastly, the SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO MINIMIZE TRAFFIC IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY is to force all routes to form a single company or transport cooperative and eliminate those jeepneys and buses jostling for position, too much waiting at every street corner. Drivers will behave once they don't have to hurry to catch their boundary and transport companies will not let loose all buses even if they're not even half-full during rush hours.

DPWH: Build more roads, tollways, interchanges, flyovers, elevated roads, road widening, bridges (like linking BGC to the Kapitolyo area in Pasig). Improve traffic on Ortigas Avenue (the reason why southbound EDSA is heavy is because of congestion in Ortigas Center particularly the two-lane overpass

DOLE: remove the boundary system of jeepneys and taxis, and the commission system of buses. Give drivers and conductors fixed wages and benefits. (this is the single most effective way to solve the traffic problem that can be implemented by forcing all jeepney routes to form companies or transport cooperatives. This way, only the right number of buses or jeepneys will ply the route instead of all of them competing for few passengers, like most business do to reduce unnecessary trips (and reduce emissions and fuel imports, improve air quality)

BIR: tax all jeepney operators, get the data from LTFRB. How many of them pay taxes?

Local Governments: do not allow street parking, tow them. Do not allow people (especially informal settlers to close roads). Clear roads of sidewalk vendors (Balintawak in QC, Divisoria in Manila and Baclaran in Paranaque are three prime examples)

DRIVERS: follow traffic rules. Be considerate to other drivers and pedestrians

COMMUTERS: 'WAG PASAWAY! Sumakay sa tamang sakayan, bumaba sa tamang babaan, no jaywalking din!

Labels: Floobydust