Davao City Sunrise

I was invited by my friend to attend his wedding in Talomo, Davao City. We have our apartment near the beach (it is only about 15 meters from the apartment) and it was a perfect place to catch the sunrise in Davao. It was a quick schedule, 2 days and 1 night but a memorable one.

I have taken many shots but these two pictures were my favorite. Enjoy!! :D
Davao.. I will be missing you.. :)

Bulgogi - Delicious Korean Food

It is always fun, exciting and an adventure to try different food in other places. I was greeted by the waiter.. "Good evening Sir! What is your order.." (in Korean style accent). My first choice was Bulgogi even I don't know what is the taste of it. Then its my turn to ask question.. "Does this one comes with rice?" (Filipinos cannot consider a good meal without rice.) "Yes!" I said in my mind, then, I am now happy.. :)

I had a chance to try Bulgogi - an authentic Korean food. It tastes sweet and juicy. The beef strips is very tender and you will enjoy eating the whole bowl.. ha ha ha.

Done some research in wikipedia...

Bulgogi (Korean pronunciation: [pulɡoɡi]; Korean: 불고기) is a Korean dish that usually consists of grilled marinated beef.

Below are the pictures.. Enjoy!!

PS: High resolution pics are available upon request. 

NAIA Terminal 1 - Repair Ongoing

There is a repair ongoing in NAIA Terminal 1.

For passengers with International flights, expect to experience long queues and crowded gates.
Please be more patient as they are making repairs to further improve the terminal as it is branded as one of the worst airports in the world.

Pictures below when I was in the terminal last 27 February 2014.

Long queues passengers.

Center portion of the Terminal 1 has repair works.

Waiting for his turn.

Long queues again.

NAIA Terminal 1 Taxi Drivers: Crocs and Sharks

Last October 6, 2013, Sunday night (no heavy traffic). I queued for the yellow Airport Taxi in NAIA Terminal 1. I was given a dispatch slip by the Dispatcher.. and at the same time telling me.. "Sir baka pwedeng makahingi sa inyo kahit pang kape lang po.. naglalambing lang sa inyo sir."  I just ignored the Dispatcher and went in to the yellow taxi. But in my mind "Garapalan na talaga ngayon ang paghihingi ng mga ito.. Ganun na ba kababa yung kinikita nila para gawin nila ito?" It seems that they are beggars on uniform, not good for tourists or visitors.. even to Filipino passengers.

As I went in to the taxi, the taxi driver asked me.. "Saan po kayo sir?" Me: "Sa Muntinlupa."

Taxi driver"Sir fixed rate na po doon kasi out of Metro Manila na yun."
Me: "I metro mo kasi airport metered taxi ito di ba." (Muntinlupa is still within Metro Manila. I don't have any idea where they got the idea that Muntinlupa is out of Metro Manila.)

Taxi driver: "Lugi po kami nyan kasi kapag ganyan fixed rate na talaga. Kawawa naman kaming mga driver, kawawa naman po pamilya namin."
Me: (This is the same dramatic story over and over again with taxi drivers. They are looking for sympathy and in the back of their minds all people with huge bags have tons of money in their pockets and are willing to pay them whatever price the taxi driver wants.) "Palagi naman po akong sumasakay dyan sa airport metered taxi, nagmmetro naman ang sila palagi."

Taxi driver: "Sige na nga." Then he started the meter.
During travelling I was able to ask his name.. Rafael was the name of the driver. I was amazed that the meter was already P600+ in Sucat. By the time we are in Muntinlupa in our house, the meter reading was P930.

I paid P930 and asked for the receipt, he only gave me the dispatch slip (I kept the dispatch slip). As I looked in the dispatch slip, it has different plate number compared to his vehicle and the price of P934.

I told him politely that usually it is P500 at most for metered taxi to Muntinlupa from the airport (I didn't raise my voice), probably he was bothered by his conscience that gave me P300 because he definitely knew that it was overcharged.


I asked for a receipt then he told me that the meter is not printing receipt meaning it is not functional.
What a day!! 

Just a tip when booking for an airport metered taxi.. Ask the driver first if the taxi meter can print receipt, then you will know if the meter is working or not.

Very seldom you can find an honest and dignified taxi driver in the airport. Most of them are crocs and sharks... same as in the government officials and politicos.


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Disclaimer: Picture above is from Internet, I do not own it.

Beef Steak - Well Done

This is the definition of Steak from Wikipedia...

A steak (from Old Norse steik, "roast") is generally a cut of beef sliced perpendicular to the muscle fibers, or of fish cut perpendicular to the spine. Meat steaks are usually grilled, pan-fried, or broiled, while fish steaks may also be baked.

Beefsteak
 The more tender cuts of beef, from the loin and rib, are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole. Less tender cuts from the chuck or round are cooked with moist heat or are mechanically tenderized (e.g. cube steak). Steak can be cooked to a level of very rare (bleu, a cold raw center), rare, medium rare, medium, medium well done, or well done. 

 To appreciate a Beef Steak that is cooked well done.. I'd rather see, feel, smell, and taste it first hand.. :) This is the Beef Steak from a hotel in Mauritius... thanks to my company for the sponsor.. Enjoy.. :)

They are my buddies that fits perfectly to my camera bag.

Food photography with the models.

With roasted veggies and potato.

Beautiful arrangement.. :)

Up close and personal.. :)

Spaghetti and Steak

I had the chance to dine for lunch in one of the restaurants in Cape Town, South Africa. We usually eat lunch in the hotel but it is Sunday, the hotel's restaurant is closed.

My colleague ordered spaghetti and mine is steak with steamed rice. :) I will not have a full meal if rice is missing.. he he he 

We ordered from the menu at it takes 20 minutes to cook our meal. You need to have a lot of patience to wait for the food.. otherwise you must take your lunch in KFC or McDonald's.

Finally the wait is over and our meal is served. Good and real food needs time to be cooked. :) Enjoy!!

The smell of the sauce is mouth watering.

Steak is served.

Steamed rice is not as good as Dinorado rice of the Philippines.

Speedtest in Malta

This was taken last 25 November 2012 in a hotel in Malta. My laptop is connected to their wireless network and the results were awesome. 

Tuding's Pork Chop

Here comes lunch after a long travel from Alabang to Carmona.
Tsaraaaan!! It's Tuding's Porkchop time. Situated beside Petron gas station near Carmona rotonda. Google Maps shows where Tuding's is located.. maps now has details for shops.. good good good..

 








I have to wait for at least 5 minutes before my order is served.. that is enough for me to send some text messages or write notes.

Then the short wait is over... Lunch is served. No extra fried rice for now.. :)


 Tuding's meal is usually served with a sunny side up egg.. 

 

A saucer with natural vinegar and ketchup.. Yummy.. :D

Tuding's Beef Tapa

The sun is shining across the blue skies.. birds are chirping to the tune of Payphone by Maroon 5.. as I am walking down the streets of Carmona... I looked at my cellphone and it is already 12:10 noon. Need to fill my empty stomach after my adjustment session with the dentist... I am already as hungry as a dog... ha ha ha probably I can eat the whole elephant for now..

Then a voice is calling me to turn and look right.. well it is not really a voice.. I am probably hallucinating by now.. its the smell of fried pork that will enchant you as you pass by... tsaaaaraaan!! Tuding's.. I need to eat and the smell is very encouraging..

I looked for an empty tables just for one.. then started to order.. pork chop or beef tapa... my head and stomach is betwixt two opinions.. he he he.. OK, I'll try the Beef Tapa for now, "Isang tapa".. I have to pay P58 for meal.. but as the gay cashier said.. "Mamaya na lang po sir.."

Prepared a spoon.. fork.. and a glass of water... drink a tap water straight from the faucet... joke. Of course from the water jug.. After waiting for almost 7 minutes... then here comes my Beef Tapa.. they have cooked it well done.. just like what I preferred even I don't mentioned it. The meal always comes with a sunny side up egg and fried rice... fried rice that seemed to be taken from a half cooked rice grain.. but it tastes good and fills the hungry stomach!

Beef tapa is just right.. what I loved in Tuding's is their vinegar or suka.. hmmmm.. it tastes very good.. probably because it is natural coconut vinegar, just like in our province..

An extra rice will cost you P13.. and will cause your belly to swell 2 inch further.. he he he.. Indeed it was a good meal after all.

Place: Non airconditioned but well  ventilated by electric fans
Can accomodate large groups, they have lots of tables and chairs
Food: Beef Tapa
Price: P58... extra rice is P13
Waiting time: 5-8 minutes
Service Crew: Smiling and Courteous
Overall: Good place to eat

While waiting for the meal to be served

Beef Tapa is served

Closeup view :)

Container Port in Singapore

The world's busiest container port is in Singapore. It is located near Jurong Island in the western part of Singapore. I had a chance to visit and take some photos of the massive structures that handles containers from all over the world. 

Singapore has been and will always be economically powerful due its very strategic location when it comes to trading. 

Philippines has the great potential to become one of the key ports in Asia like Singapore.

NAIA Terminal 1 voted 'Worst airport in Asia'

Ooops! We did it again! 

Congratulations to the management of NAIA Terminal 1!!
It always boils down to the management of NAIA Terminal 1. They are the policy makers.. they are the one who will implement rules and standards to the staff, workers, porters, drivers, janitor, passengers, or any person in NAIA Terminal 1. Unfortunately they themselves have this culture and mind set that.. "Pwede na yan.." "Hayaan mo na yan.." It lacks decency and order.. so much the more about discipline.

People of the Philippines will definitely obey if management is firm enough to implement a high standards when it comes to services in NAIA Terminal 1.

Again, Congratulations to another feather in the cap!


For more details, please see the links:

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/asia/index.htm
http://www.sleepinginairports.net/asia/manila.htm 

Disorganized taxi lanes, chaotic atmosphere outside the Ninoy Aquino Int'l Airport's Terminal 1, are among the reasons why it was voted 'worst airport in Asia in 2012 by the readers of the online travel site The Guide to Sleeping in Airports. 'With its collapsing ceilings, overcrowding, rampant bribery, and taxi drivers scamming travelers on fares, it's easy to understand why ‘disappointed’ and ‘unbelievable’ are just a few of the words travelers use to describe the place.'

#from http://www.gmanetwork.com

Oil and Gas in the Philippines

Kung ito man ay mapasa-atin.. sana naman ito ay mapakinabangan ng karamihan sa ating bansa.

Philippines may soon own vast gas-rich area

By Cathy Yamsuan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Philippines will gain 13 million hectares in additional territory, an area slightly smaller than Luzon, should the United Nations approve next year the government’s claim on a region off the coast of Isabela and Aurora, Environment Secretary Ramon Jesus Paje said on Monday.

Paje said the undersea region, called Benham Rise, could turn the Philippines into a natural gas exporter because of the area’s huge methane deposits.

Studies conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the past five years indicate large deposits of methane in solid form, Paje said after a Senate budget hearing.

The government is only awaiting a formal declaration from the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (Unclos) that Benham Rise is on the country’s continental shelf and therefore part of its territory, Paje said.

Legal basis

Once the Unclos establishes that Benham Rise is part of the Philippines, “we would have legal basis to enter into exploration agreements with private companies to explore… (the area’s) resources,” said Sen. Franklin Drilon, chair of the chamber’s finance committee.

Drilon said a favorable Unclos declaration would mean “increasing our territory from present 30 million hectares to possibly 43 million” with the inclusion of Benham Rise.

Discussion over Benham Rise generated excitement especially after Paje said that Philippine representatives were just awaiting one more meeting “to answer questions” before a special Unclos committee.

Only claimant

Paje said there was no reason for the Unclos committee not to issue a decision favorable to the country “since we are the only claimant, unlike in the western side (where the Spratly Islands are).”

“We have submitted a claim under (Unclos) sometime in late 2008. We got a reply from the UN lately (asking us) to answer some questions. They intend to pass a resolution sometime in mid-2012 to approve our claim (that it is) part of the Philippine continental shelf,” Paje told reporters after the hearing.

Records showed that the Philippines officially submitted a claim with the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in New York on April 8, 2009.

Davide submission

Hilario Davide, then Philippine ambassador to the United Nations, filed the country’s partial submission with the commission.

The United Nations says the continental shelf is “the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea” up to 370 km (200 nautical miles) from the archipelagic baseline. An extended continental shelf goes farther than 370 km.

The Philippines claims that Benham Rise is an extension of its continental shelf.

Paje said Benham Rise was within the country’s 370-km exclusive economic zone.

American geologist

The environment secretary said an American geologist surnamed Benham discovered the area that was between 40 and 2,000 meters below the waterline in 1933.

“But we are able to define categorically that it is attached to our continental shelf only recently. We have proven (to) Unclos that it is attached. So now the UN is considering it for decision sometime in 2012,” Paje said.

He said gas deposits in the area would enable the country to achieve energy sufficiency.

“Benham Rise is very relevant because of its gas deposits (which has been) confirmed particularly by (the) National Mapping Resource Information Agency. It has given us the data that (the area) contains solid methane. We have not explored it but we have found nodules of methane in the surface and this is very important to us,” he said.

Kalayaan, Scarborough

The Kalayaan Island Group, which is part of the disputed Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, both located in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and claimed by the Philippines, are also believed to contain oil and natural gas.

Paje said there was the possibility that the country could export gas in the future.

The secretary added that there would be a demand for gas deposits in Benham Rise “because it’s much cleaner than (other) fossil fuels.”

The DENR formally submitted its proposed P16.99-billion budget for 2012 to the Senate finance committee.

Speed Test in South Korea

Hooooaaaahhh! Eto sigurado malula ka sa bilis ng Internet Speed. Kung mabilis sa Japan dito mas mabilis... yeeeeaaahh!

Download Speed = 85.15MB
Upload Speed = 62.87MB

Heavy Traffic Jam last Tuesday

MRT Buedia Station.. simula Toll Gate pa yan ng Nichols.


Hanggang Megamall na ito.. =(

Kapag ikaw ay papasok sa opisina o sa trabaho, dapat ay mas maaga kang makakarating o kaya naman on time ka.... he he he siyempre.. papogi points din yun sa boss mo. Pero bakit naman sa dinami dami ng araw na magkakatraffic ay nagkakataon naman na kailangan mong maging maaga dahil may tatapusin kang reports na kailangan maisubmit sa umaga... o kaya naman may meeting kang nakaset... 8:00 ng umaga... Arrrgggh! Talaga naman o! Nangyayari talaga ang mga bagay na iyan.. di ko alam kung coincidence lang o related yun sa pag-iisip mo ng husto..

Kadalasan ay ganito ang nangyayari... Ang bus ng dapat mong sasakyan papuntang Pacita ay napakadalang o halos walang dumadaan.. at ang daming bus at nakapila pa sila... puro papuntang Alabang... ha ha ha. At kapag may pupuntahan ka naman sa Alabang na kailangan mong sumakay ng bus na may plakard na Alabang... andami namang nakapilang bus papuntang Pacita na hindi mo naman siya kailangan ngayon... =) Ganun talaga ang buhay.. minsan palabiro.. kailangan mo na lang sakyan para hindi kumunot ang ulo mo..

Grabe ang traffic nung Tuesday, June 21.. nasimula ito bago dumating ng toll gate sa Nichols.. papasok ng Magallanes.. hanggang Megamall na yun. Ang normal na biyahe ay nadadagdagan ng 30 - 45 minutes na nakatunganga ka sa bus.. pwede rin naman palang matulog.. zzzZZZzzZZ wag ka nga lang lalagpas sa babaan mo.. ☺►

Same Article Different Titles for Philippine Daily Inquirer

Tama lamang na binago ng Philippine Daily Inquirer ang title ng kanilang balita. Ang balanseng pagbabalita ay paglalahad ng katotohanan sa anumang issue ng lipunan. Hindi ka pwedeng magbalita kung wala kang totoong basehan kundi ito ay magiging pawang likhang isip o kasinungalingan. ☺►

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It is just right for Philippine Daily Inquirer to change the title of their news. Balanced news is all about the truth in our society. News without truth and facts as their basis will end up as an imagination.. a bunch of falsehood.

NAIA Terminal 2 - Umbrellas Not Allowed in Check-in Luggage

Nakapila ako sa mahabang linya ng mga taong dumadaan sa security inspection para sa domestic flight papuntang Legazpi, Albay. Medyo mahaba ang pila... sabi ko sa sarili ko.. "OK lang, pauwi na din naman ako.. di naman siguro magsasara ang boarding gate ng 5:45AM." kasi 6AM ang flight ko.... eh halos 5:30AM na at nakapila pa rin ako.

Hinubad ko ang aking sapatos.. siyempre di na ang medyas, baka kasi makita nila ang malupit kong kuko o kaya ang patay na kuko sa paa.. o kaya ang aking alipunga na super kati.. imahinasyon ko lang yun.

Una, napansin ay walang lalagyan ng gamit sa conveyor.. halo halo ang gamit ng mga nakapila. Buti na lang may lalagyan ako ng aking mga gamit.. ang recyclable bag. Doon ko inilagay ang cellphone ko, mga susi, belt, at mga barya.

Pangalawa, nagtataka lang ako bakit nakalusot yung isang bote ng tubig sa recyclable bag ko.. di na rin pinalabas sa akin ang laptop ko na nakalagay sa backpack ko.. Samantalang sa HongKong airport ay bawal na bawal ang tubig o liquids na higit sa 100ml.

Pangatlo, lahat ng electronic items ay dapat ilabas at ilagay sa hiwalay na lalagyan.

Bigla akong tinawag ng lalaking security officer, "Sir hindi po pwede ang payong sa check-in na bagahe.." Dahil sa gulat ko, sabi "Ano! Bakit hindi pwede?"... "Bawal talaga ang payong sa check-in na bagahe."

"Sir, regalo pa kasi ito ng nanay ko sa akin eh.. baka pwede ng isama sa check-in to?" "Kung gusto nyo sir pwede nyong icheck-in ang backpack nyo." "Di pwede kasi nandito ang laptop ko e."

No choice ako kundi ilagay siya sa lalagyan ng mga nakumpiskang mga payong.. "Sir baka pwede ko itong balikan, sayang kasi eh.. regalo pa po ito ng nanay ko e.." "Sir kapag nakumpiska na po namin di na pwedeng kunin ng may-ari kasi sa amin na yun eh."

Sa isipan ko, parang sumisigaw at nagrereklamo.. "Grabe naman itong standards ng NAIA terminal 2... bawal ang payong eh samatalang yung payong na dala ko ay dumaan na sa NAIA Terminal 1, Hongkong International Airport, at SCHIPOL airport sa Amsterdam na napakahigpit pagdating sa security inspection.. di naman sa kanila bawal dalhin sa checkin ang payong... Arrrrghhh!!

Pero sinabi ko sa aking sarili, "Hep hep hep! Policy nila yan kaya kailangang sundin.. kahit pa sumama ang loob mo sa kanila."

Kawawang payong.. natigok sa kamay ng security officer sa NAIA terminal 2.

Alternatibo na pwede sanang gawin ko.. kaya nagmamadali na kasi ako eh.
-Icheck-in ang payong mag-isa, lalagyan naman kasi ng sticker yun eh kaya di mawawala. ☺►

Summer Temperature in Manila

Umaabot ng halos 35 degrees Celsius ang init ng summer kahit nasa loob ka ng bahay.. =(


Eto naman pag nasa loob ng air conditioned room.. 23 degrees Celsius

Lahat na yata ay Made in China... pati ba naman itong thermometer?.. Halos 80% yata ng gamit dito sa Pinas ay Made in China... ☺►