Revive my blog (Post about Big Bikes)

Yamaha XSR 700 (image from ridermagazine.com)

I have been thinking to revive my blog and will be posting about my plans to buy a big bike for myself. My first choice was actually a Suzuki SV650 or Kawasaki z650 but when I visited the Yamaha showroom, I was really impressed with the Yamaha XSR 700.

Kawasaki z650 (netherlandsnewslive.com)

Suzuki SV650 (from motofomo.com)

I still have a few showrooms to visit, namely KTM, Triumph, Husgvarna and Honda. I hope I will be able to choose a nice bike when I am ready to purchase. Hopefully my wife agrees.

Triumph Trident 660 (motofour.com)

KTM Duke 690 (bikescatalog.com)

Husgvarna Vitpilen (motostop.eu)

Yamaha MT 07 (thai.webike.net)

So many models to choose from!

Kings Road

I am currently playing Kings Road. First character is a Knight, followed by a Wizard and finally an Archer. My Knight and Wizard is already level 60 and my Archer is level 53. I am currently playing my Knight to get better equipment and trinkets so I can challenge other players in the PVP arena. I will be posting more information about this game soon.

Driver's License Renewal

Last Wednesday, I decided to renew my driver's license since it will expire on my birthday next week. I figured I renew early to avoid the penalty I paid two years ago when I renewed late and to prepare for a penalty charge which I think will be traced to my MMDA apprehension last June 2009. I decided to proceed to the renewal center at Farmer's Plaza in Cubao, Quezon City which was nearest to my office and my residence. Upon getting the renewal form, I was instructed to proceed to the medical laboratory next door and have my medical and drug test. The following are the fees:

Medical Test - Php 100.00 (Blood pressure, Eye check up, weight, height, etc.)
Drug Test - Php 300.00 (Urine test)
Total Laboratory Fees: Php 400.00

Medical test was finished in about 15-20 minutes and I immediately got the result to proceed to my license renewal. Upon submitting the form, I was informed that there was a notice from MMDA that I am supposed to settle before my license renewal. It was already past three in the afternoon so I was advised to go to MMDA the next day.

The following day, after punching in at the office, I proceeded to the MMDA head office in Makati to settle the penalty. I arrived a little past ten and I got 220 as my number. The cut-off was number 350 and judging by the line outside the office, I think they will reach 350 by 1 pm. I filled out the clearance form and paid Php 30.00 for the clearance fee. After an hour and 30 minutes, finally my name was called. I was informed to pay the fee (Php 150.00 - my apprehension charge) and I was not charged any other fees. Frankly, I was expecting penalty fees to reach Php 500 but to my relief, there was no additional fees. After paying the fee (was in line for 20 minutes), I was told to wait again for my clearance certificate. It came out after another 15 minutes (which was already past lunch time) and I decided to proceed to the license renewal LTO office to submit the clearance form. Upon reaching the renewal office, the LTO staff, just took a 5-minute look at my MMDA clearance and proceeded with the renewal.

I was told to pay the renewal fee of Php 417.00 and wait for my new license. In ten minutes, I got my new license and went back to my office. Here are the fees I paid to renew my license:

Medical Test - 100.00
Drug Test - 300.00
Renewal Fee - 417.00
Total - Php 817.00

Time consumed:
Medical and Drug Test : 20-30 minutes (depends on the number of clients)
License Renewal: 15 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Unfortunate MMDA license clearance: 2 hours
Lessons learned: If apprehended by MMDA, ask a ticket and immediately pay penalty fees at Metrobank within 7 days to avoid spending precious time at the MMDA office to get a license clearance.

Archbishop Oscar Cruz Calls PNoy Incompetent

Archbishop Oscar Cruz grabbed the limelight again with an announcement that 2 groups are working to replace President Noynoy Aquino because of incompetence. The bishop is well known to be an advocate of anti-jueteng operations of government officials but this time, he centered his advocacy on warning the current president that groups are eying to replace him.

To put this into perspective, this is an alarming situation. After 7 months of presidency, people are already calling PNoy as an incompetent president. How is this possible? What are their grounds? Here are a few which was stated at http://ph.news.yahoo.com:

1. Deterioration of peace and order in the country (gauged by the recent killings and car napping incidents and bus bombing)
2. The stalling of the Truth Commission which was supposedly made to go after corrupt official specially during the last administration.
3. Questioning of the 21 Billion conditional cash transfer (CCT) - giving subsidies or allowances to poor people who can not afford to eat at least 3 times a day

Are these issues enough to say that the president is incompetent? How about news of his purchase of a second hand Porsche car and his use of his brother in law's Lexus SUV? Or his failed dates and romance with single women?

Truly, 7 or 8 months is too early to say that a person, much more a president is incompetent. What must a president do within a year to prove that he is competent? Is it fair to him to be judged this early even after the huge mess left to him by his predecessor?

Archbishop Cruz warning must be taken seriously by the president because it is the first sign that his people are beginning to get bored and impatient. Filipinos want instant results no matter how things are done and they are the ones to criticize first if a project or job is poorly executed because of haste. Can we be more patient for a change? Can we just support our leader and do what we must in our own lives?

The bishop has clearly gone overboard this time. What happened to the church teachings that people should not judge others in order not to be judged themselves? Or the separation of the church and state (government)? Or just the simple phrase of "Patience is a Virtue".

President Noynoy needs all the help he can get and not statements made too early evaluating his presidency. How about asking Bishop Cruz regarding the church projects to help the poor and educate them to control themselves to practice abstinence to help prevent the increase of population?

What happened to the church's "Pondo ng Pinoy"? How many families benefited from this project? Does the church have scholarship programs to give poor people a chance to study at prestigious catholic schools? How many children have benefited if there is a scholarship project? Does the church have health programs for the poor to help them receive proper health care to hospitals other than government-owned institutions? How about shelter? Does the church help in building basic houses to help improve poor communities? Does the church control Gawad Kalinga? How many families benefited from this project? Do local parishes provide jobs to unemployed individuals? Do they give government mandated minimum wages?

Archbishop Cruz, can we just ask you to help? Or maybe focus on your drive to eradicate jueteng in our country. Were you able to name the bigwigs of the jueteng industry? Have you already collected hard evidences to eventually send them to jail? How many politicians did you identify to be jueteng lords and sent to jail?

You are a Filipino Archbishop and we also expect you to be a good leader, much more a competent one.

Discounted Gasoline Stations

Just as everybody is busy at work and school, motorists were again slapped a Php 0.75 increase per liter by gasoline companies this week. No announcement were made on TV and radio before the increase and people had no choice but to go with the flow. I just wonder, what is the reason for another increase? Due to the cold weather? No enough supply from the world market? Peso depreciation against the dollar?

The Big 3 oil companies has been dictating the oil prices in the Philippines for decades already. The government, especially the Department of Energy has no control over these 3 big oil companies. How come Shell, Caltex and Petron have the same price increase values? How come other oil companies such as Total, Seaoil, Jetti, etc. can charge less? I know it is a strategy for consumers to buy gas from them compared to the Big 3 but in the end its the consumers who suffer the regular price increases. When will we be liberated from the oligarchy of these Big 3?

The next best thing is for us to know where to buy gas that are cheaper compared to other locations. My work often requires me to go on fieldwork around Metro Manila so I know a few areas where to buy gas that is cheaper compared to other areas. Here are my tips:

1. Total gas station at EDSA Boni after Shaw Boulevard before Boni (Southbound). They are usually 0.75-1.00 cheaper than most gasoline stations in EDSA.
2. Total gas station Ortigas Avenue right after Santolan road if you are coming from Gilmore, QC or San Juan.
3. Seaoil gas station EDSA after Quezon Avenue (southbound) if you are coming from SM North EDSA.
4. Shell gas station EDSA (southbound) after Seaoil gas station mentioned above. They charge 0.25-0.50 cheaper than other Shell gas stations.
5. Shell gas station N. Domingo Avenue in San Juan after turning right from Broadway.
6. Caltex gas station Aurora Boulevard near J. Ruiz LRT station in San Juan. It is after Broadway Avenue if you are coming from Cubao, QC going towards San Juan and Manila.
7. Jetti gas station after Ayala Bridge in Manila if you are coming from Taft Avenue going towards Mendiola.
8. Jetti gas station at Macapagal Avenue after Petron in Blue Wave going towards Coastal Road coming from World Trade Center.

It is time for us to support the use of renewable energy sources so these oil companies will not dictate the prices they want. All you hear from them is they have to recover their losses from not increasing gas prices after the price of world crude went up months ago. They always advertise that they are pro-people because they "do not adjust" gas prices unless it is really necessary. Have you seen how extravagant their offices in Makati and how high the salaries they give to their executives? I have been inside a refinery of a oil company in Bataan and it is so impressive that you feel like you are not inside the Philippines.

Time for us to develop ways to use wind and solar energy at home and at the office. The less we demand electricity, the less we consume fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. Support non-government projects for renewable energy and help in environment conservation.

Why is it Cold in Metro Manila?

Recently Metro Manila has been experiencing unusual cold weather even during the afternoons. My friend and I were on fieldwork earlier at The Fort Global City Taguig and the wind was generally strong blowing a cold breeze to everyone. It was a nice experience for me because I love cold weather (not too cold though) just like in Baguio, Tagaytay, Caliraya and other elevated areas. Not all people want this kind of weather and my wife has been constantly saying its too cold during nights and early mornings.

I love cold weather because I would rather have this kind than experience scorching heat during summer. My work is in sales and I go out of the office almost everyday and even if I ride an air conditioned vehicle, most of the time, the heat is too much that it becomes unbearable and makes you sick. People get tired easily and most of us gets dehydrated. But during cold weather, we can wear protection like sweaters, jackets and hats which most of the time looks good on us.

The reason why we still experience cold weather is because of the combined effect of Northeast Monsoon (AMIHAN) and Tail-end of a cold front over the whole country (http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/). Temperature ranges from 22 -28 degrees Celsius which is generally low compared to summer months.

Hopefully we still experience cool weather before summer starts and we don't experience extremely hot weather during summer just like last year. Hopefully we get a couple of rains once in a while to help fill Angat Dam so we won't have water shortage during summer. So I advise people who complain about the cold weather is to enjoy it while it lasts because summer heat is just around the corner.

President Noynoy Buys a Porsche

PNoy recently bought a 2007 model Porsche which made headlines and got several reactions from critics and supporters. Here are the facts of the story:

1. The Porsche is "third-hand" vehicle worth 4.5 million Pesos
2. The model may be a Cayman or a Carrera, basing on the news photos
3. He sold his other vehicle a BMW to buy this Porsche.
4. He used his own funds.
5. He is a bachelor and a car enthusiast.

People are saying that the timing is "off" because of the announced fare hike at MRT and LRT. There are also surveys done saying people are "poorer" today compared to the previous years. Gasoline and diesel prices have increased more than 3 times already since December 2010. Floods and other natural disasters continue to damage lives in the Bicol Region.

For me, I do not see anything wrong with PNoy's Porsche purchase. There will never be a good timing because the Philippines, a third world country will always be a face of poverty. No matter how a good a President or a leader is, 6 years of governance is not enough to turn the tables around. Too much damage was done by the past presidents and we need at least 15-20 years to recover and be compared to developing countries. The proposed MRT and LRT hike should have been implemented months ago to recover government losses. Gasoline and diesel prices will continue to rise as long as the market is controlled by "The Big 3". How come lesser known gasoline stations afford to sell gas 50 centavos to 1 peso cheaper than The Big 3? It is so obvious that Shell, Caltex and Petron can lower their prices but refuse to do so.

Is Php 4.5 million an extravagant purchase? To an ordinary Filipino, yes. To a rich family or individual, no. Picture this: a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser costs around Php 4.5M, a 2010 Nissan Patrol costs Php 2.6M, a 2010 Mitsubishi Pajero costs Php 2.8M, a second hand 2010 Mercedes Benz E Class costs Php 4.5M, a second hand 2010 BMW 5 series costs Php 2.1M and a second hand Porsche 911 GT3 costs Php 6.8M. I see these types of vehicle everyday (except the Porsche GT3) at EDSA and it seems Filipinos can afford to buy these luxury vehicles. Rich Filipinos are outnumbered by poor ones but to them, it is not their fault that they were born rich or they worked hard to be rich.


President Noynoy was born rich. All his siblings are rich even without entering politics. His youngest showbiz sister earns 3-5 million a month just for shows excluding endorsements. People say that he should be sensitive and should avoid extravagant purchases. Can we give the guy a break? It may be his Christmas gift to himself, or a reward after working hard since being elected. Do we not allow ourselves to at least reward ourselves after a year of hard work? How about people buying IPhones, IPads, PS3, Xbox, Flatscreen TVs, DigitalSLR, Laptops, Louis Vuitton bags and Tag Heuer watches? Aren't they extravagant too in a smaller scale? Actually, PNoy's Porsche is just peanuts compared to his counterparts. His predecessor spent a million pesos for a dinner abroad.

Let us try to be open minded once in a while and understand people's ways which are different from ours. We sometimes say we belong to the masses and we sympathize with them but we do not even lift a single finger to help. We just criticize and see the negative side of things. Focus on what are the important issues and try to help. Count our blessings and be happy for other people's blessings.

Facebook's CityVille

Facebook has launched another successful social networking game which made Facebook members look forward in playing the game every time they log in. Reports have stated that CityVille has overtaken Farmville as the most number of active monthly users at 84.2 million compared to Farmville's 83.8 million. CityVille's daily active user audience is currently at 14.8 million, more than the most popular full-pledged online game, World of Warcraft, which has "just" 12 million monthly subscribers (http://news.softpedia.com).

Here are a few reasons why CityVille has already beaten the current records:
1. CityVille was Zynga's (game creator and developer) first multilingual release, having versions in English, but also in German, Italian, Spanish, and French, thus allowing more people an easier access to it (http://news.softpedia.com). Imagine if they have it in Chinese....
2. Zynga used all of its other Facebook games, from FarmVille to FrontierVille, Mafia Wars or Zynga Poker to advertise the release of CityVille, thus appealing to those that were already interested in gaming on Facebook (http://news.softpedia.com).
3. CityVille has similarities with Sim City game which, I think has already 6 versions excluding The Sims games. Its first release was in 1989 and last was in 2007.
4. CityVille is free. No need to buy the software or download more applications. Facebook, being the number 1 social networking site with the most number of members is a great platform for CityVille's popularity.
5. CityVille concept generates the users creativity. It allows a player to control a city, beginning from a simple community to a very successful metropolis. Almost every human being has dreams of owning a good business, build a nice home, manage a small farm and be a leader or politician who can control a city and earn on the side. There is no violence in this game and people love to earn by just using their laptops or desktop pc's.

I already tried the game and I am sure, if my internet connection is good, I'll be addicted playing the game. Hopefully I won't. It is another way of wasting one's time at home or at the office. Social networking sites are good tools to communicate with long lost friends or relatives but it is also the reason why we lack time with our own love ones who live with us at home. Instead of having quality time playing with kids and teaching them homework, people spend an average of 2-4 hours a day to play internet games.

Playing online is not bad but it must always be in moderation. Hopefully we will learn that sometimes technology helps us and sometimes it does not. Just keep everything in moderation and try to balance time at home, work and leisure. Have fun playing but remember to do your responsibilities at the office and at home first before playing CityVille.

Very Proud To Be Leon's Dad

Last December 28, 2010, Rotary Club of Midtown Diliman had its Christmas Party at a restaurant in Timog Avenue, Quezon City. Rotary members were present together with their wives and children had dinner, exchanged gifts, listened to a live band and sang songs the whole night. Leon, as his usual self was never shy and made friends with the other children. He was particularly interested with the musical instruments on the stage and while the band members were not there yet, he tried the keyboard and the drums. It was his second time to experience playing the keyboards but his interest shifted to the drum set. Without drum sticks on sight, he tried hitting the drums with his hands and he enjoyed it. The Bass drum (biggest and located at the center) can be hit when you step on a pedal and the hi-hat cymbals can also be sounded with a step on another pedal. Leon needs to stand to step on both pedals but he does not hit them at the same time of hit them repeatedly. He makes it a point to hit them one at a time after tapping the other drums (snare, high and floor tom-tom). People (even the adults) began noticing him and a number of them told us he was a talented young boy and we should consider sending him to a music school.


When the two band members arrived (keyboards and bass guitar) and played a couple of songs, Leon could not help himself and he joined the band by being the drummer. My wife and I started to refrain him, thinking he might disrupt the band, but without the sticks, we figured it was ok. Rotary members began singing and Leon also began hitting the drums. His timing was almost perfect! My wife and I could not help ourselves from laughing and giggling because our kid was so good considering it was his first time to see and actually touch a drum set. The bass guitarist also noticed him and he said something to Leon in between songs (it was like two band members talking about the next set of songs) and the guitarist told the audience that Leon was asking him if he had sticks for the drums. Everyone roared with laughter and this even made us prouder. I had almost tears on my eyes because I did not imagine my kid being such a talented boy at the age of 3.


After a stint with the drums, during the band breaks, he grabbed the microphone from the stand and began singing the alphabet. He finished it and people were clapping their hands. It was such a nice Christmas party and when we began saying good nights and good bye to everyone, almost all of them told us that we have a very talented kid. Leon was such a wonderful gift from God and we thank Him everyday for being blessed to be chosen as Leon's parents. That Christmas party was one of my most memorable one and I am sure that one day, I will be telling Leon a story (even when He becomes an adult) about a young boy who made his parents very proud of him.

Fireworks in Bocaue, Bulacan

Filipinos are known to celebrate New Year's eve by lighting different kinds of fireworks. Most locally made fireworks are made in Bocaue, Bulacan and people from Manila and nearby provinces travel there to buy fireworks in bulk to sell or just buy for personal use on New Year's eve. When I was a kid, fireworks were generally "safe" and I hardly remember an accident that involved kids during New Year's eve. But now, when fireworks were made to become more complex, loud and lethal, a lot of injuries are reported every year where children are the usual victims of prohibited fireworks.

Here is a list of fireworks that are still being made today and have continued to cause accidents to children:

1. Super Lolo
2. Bawang
3. Sawa or Judas Belt
4. Watusi
5. Picolo
6. Five star
7. Lolo
8. Kwitis or Baby Rocket
9. Whistle Bomb

Some accidents involve poorly manufactured "safe" fireworks that were generally expected just to provide a light show but exploded when used.

1. Fountain
2. Trompillo
3. Roman Candle
4. Lusis

My wife and I have long decided to avoid using fireworks every New Year. When we started watching news about people and children rushed to hospitals because of serious injuries caused by fireworks, we realized that we can celebrate the occasion safely by using alternative ways to make noise. Here are our suggestions:

1. Torotot or horn
2. Loud music
3. Drums or hitting steel or stainless cookware
4. Sirens
5. Vehicle horns

Or better yet, just join fireworks display by several cities around Metro Manila where the local government buys imported fireworks and are lighted by professionals from a very safe distance. Two years ago, we went to Ayala Avenue in Makati for the New Year Countdown and the place was very festive. The local government displayed a huge digital clock on a stage and people started to shout the countdown until New Year's day. Once the clock reaches 12:00 am, fireworks were lighted and people danced on the streets to celebrate the New Year. A number of the audience wore costumes and masks which made the occasion like a street party. Showbiz personalities also performed song and dance numbers to highlight the event.

Let's be safe this New Year and avoid buying dangerous fireworks. Celebrate with your love ones and welcome the New Year with a prayer to God so He will continue to bless us. Happy New Year to all!

Christmas 2010

This year's Christmas celebration is one of the happiest and most memorable for our family. It is our first Christmas as a family of four, Me, my wife-Hahai, Leon and Maia, our youngest. We also completed the 9-day novena or Simbang Gabi/Misa de Gallo this year as a thanksgiving for all the blessings we received the past year.

We have lots to thank for most especially for our children being healthy the whole year and for our steady income to provide for our family's needs. We are looking forward for the year 2011 which we think would be better and much more productive for us. We would also like to thank our parents and relatives who are always there to help us. Friends also are a blessing and without them, life would not be interesting.

Thank you very much Jesus and we all greet you a very Happy, happy Birthday. May you continue to shower us your blessings next year and the all the years that will come.

Simbang Gabi - Misa de Gallo

Ever since I was a child, my mom always makes it a point for us to attend the 9-day novena and mass called simbang gabi during the Christmas season. She believes that it is a good way for us to be prepared for Christmas day which is the birthday of our savior, Jesus Christ. She also believes that waking up early and listening to the priest's sermon is a good sacrifice to give thanks for all the blessings we received for that year. Up to now, even though my mom is living with my aunt in our province, she still completes the 9 days dawn mass.

I was really hesitant when I was going with my mom when I was a child because it was really hard for me to wake up early and stay awake during the mass. I just follow my mom, no questions asked because once I complain, I would be given the "serious look don't ask why" from my mom. I just think that it is just 9 days and by the 10th day, it would be Christmas and I would get gifts from relatives and friends.

Now that I am an adult and have two kids of my own, I realized that my mom's teaching was really for the best for our family. I realized that going to mass early in the morning is such a small way to give thanks to all the blessings we received this year. My wife and I have been blessed with two beautiful and healthy kids and a steady income for our expenses at home. Our kids have been healthy for the whole year and my wife gave birth with no complications last April. My parents' health is okay and my mother-in-law doctor's test were also good. Both of our jobs are quite difficult but our employers managed to give us good salaries and treat us well. Although not enough, we still have a small savings account which we intend to increase by next year. Everything turned out to be a blessing this year that we are very anxious to start the next year to achieve our plans. God has been so good to us that a 9-day novena and mass is such an easy thing to do to give thanks. Besides, I miss attending them since the time I transferred to my wife's place and stopped living with my mom and my sister.

2010 was a great year for our family and we are already excited to start 2011. Our son will soon attend his first year in school and our daughter will turn 1 year old this coming April. We have so many plans and we hope we achieve most of them by the end of the year. My wife and I intend to finish the 9 days Simbang Gabi Mass this year and every year after. This is to give praise and thanks to God who has given us so much and to teach this practice to our kids someday so that once they become adults, they will continue the tradition which our parents taught to us when we were still kids.

Vizconde Massacre Verdict

Today was a day of mourning for Lauro Vizconde, the father and only remaining survivor of the Vizconde Family Massacre. The Supreme Court reversed the lower court and Court of Appeals ruling to implicate Hubert Webb and six other accused of the gruesome murder. The reason was the prosecution failed to prove that the accused were guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The murders happened June 30, 1991 and after 19 years, Lauro Vizconde is still seeking justice for his family.

The motion for acquittal started after the Supreme Court approved a DNA testing to be performed on the semen specimen obtained during the autopsy of the victims (http://en.wikipedia.org) . Unfortunately the specimen was reported lost by the National Bureau of Investigation which prompted lawyers to submit the motion in reference that the evidence to prove that it was indeed Hubert's sperm found inside rape and murder victim Carmela Vizconde, will never be used to prove the accused innocence or guilt. The lower court and Court of Appeals decision entirely rests on Jessica Alfaro's testimony of what happened on the night of the murders. The Supreme Court cited several inconsistencies in the star witness' testimony which was the reason why they approved a DNA testing to be conducted.

Truly this is an example of a poor police system in our country. The NBI, with its belief that the case was closed after the lower court and Court of Appeals decision implicating the suspects, did not take care of vital evidence in their jurisdiction. They merely stated that the semen specimen was in the possession of the lower court which handled the case. But storage of vital crime evidences should be NBI's responsibility and not a trail court which handles hundreds of cases in a month. Because of this irresponsibility, the accused was freed and nobody will ever know the truth if Hubert Webb was indeed the one who raped and killed Carmela Vizconde. Although the Supreme Court handed out its decision, more than a million questions are left unanswered and people are thinking of who are really the people responsible for the murders.

I sympathize for Mr. Lauro Vizconde's situation and I pray that he will get his justice in due time. The Vizconde case is another example of how our justice system runs and how efficient our police force in doing their jobs. How many families will experience this kind of injustice? Will there be hope for the victims of unsolved crimes here in our country?

Christmas Vacation Travel

Christmas season is a time to spend quality time with your love ones. The Christmas break, usually starts on December 23 and will last until December 27 or if you have accumulated enough vacation leaves at work, you can extend your vacation until January 2, 2010. Everyone is busy and excited preparing for Christmas, going to church, buying gifts, attending parties and preparing for the traditional Noche Buena on Christmas eve. After spending Christmas day at home, families have an option to travel and relax to local tourist destinations. Instead of flying to Hong Kong Disneyland or other countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, why not try nearby tourist destinations to help boost our tourism industry. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Caliraya Lake in Lumban, Laguna - Lake Caliraya is situated approximately 1,200 feet above sea level, and is perched high in the Sierra Madre. Travel from Manila will take you about 3-4 hours. The lake experiences cool climate all year round. (http://en.wikipedia.org). Temperature here is almost as cold as Baguio City and the town is not over populated. If you are looking for first class amenities, you may check in at Caliraya Resort Club. If you are in a budget, there are other resorts around the lake that provides good accommodation and superb food.
2. San Juan, Batangas - It is located 43 kilometers east of Batangas City and 115 kilometers away from Manila. San Juan is famous for its Laiya Beach. Travel from Manila will be around 3-4 hours.

3. Alaminos, Pangasinan - Alaminos is home for the country's Hundred Islands. In fact, there are 123 islands that can be found of the coast Barangay Lucap, Alaminos City. (http://en.wikipedia.org). From Manila, It will take you about 4-5 hours to reach the city.

These are just a few places near Manila where you can enjoy nature and travel with your family and friends. Going outdoors need not be expensive and it is a good stress reliever from the busy life we have in the metropolis. Sometimes, we need to learn to enjoy nature more for us to appreciate the gifts we have around us so we will do our part to conserve nature so our kids and grandchildren will also enjoy nature as much as it was enjoyed by our parents and grandparents.

Christmas Shopping in Metro Manila

By this time, the first day of December, people should have started doing their Christmas shopping for gifts for their friends and love ones. Gifts need not be expensive because this holiday season is about giving and sharing your blessings no matter how simple they are. In our family, we usually ask or see what does our love one needs the most in his or her everyday life and if we can afford it, then we give it with all our hearts. I heard a lot of people who dread the Christmas season because for them it is such a big expense and they cannot afford it. What I say to them is just give what you can and if you can not afford to give then simply greet them a Merry Christmas, pray for them and wish them the best of health. Prayers are such a powerful gift that people should not take for granted.

Anyway, if you have still time and the budget to shop, here are a few suggestions:

1. Divisoria - by now, shops are open 24 hours daily but you have to have extreme patience to go through the crowds. Items are so cheap that you can end up buying more if your budget is based on mall prices. Security is a bit questionable since a lot of thieves and pickpockets know people go here to buy and spend.
2. Bazaars located at schools, church grounds, offices and parking spaces. Prices are higher than Divisoria but still cheaper than malls. Noel Bazaar at the World Trade Center in Pasay City is a good example.
3. Malls - they offer extended mall hours for the weeks approaching Christmas. No more sale by December and tenants jack up their prices to get more profits. Security is better compared to Divisoria. If you plan to get a taxi, forget it. Just commute, by bus or jeepney because taxi drivers are usually so picky and lines are 3-5 times longer than ordinary days.


4. Greenhills - a favorite among shoppers. The atmosphere is like a mall, tenants are situated just like bazaars and shoppers can actually ask for a bargain. Items are usually imported from Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, Taiwan, etc. and they are a bit cheaper compared to mall tenants. Security is comparable to any other first class malls.
5. Non-government organizations - NGOs such as Haribon Foundation have gift suggestions during holidays. They sell shirts, books, fans, kids activity books and seedlings to anyone. Proceeds go to projects which help their cause. Some organizations pool the funds they get from their merchandise and use them for sponsoring scholarships for children who cannot afford to go to school.
6. Online shopping - sites such as Sulit.com.ph, Ayosdito.ph, Bili.ph are all local sites that posts sellers and the items they sell. If sellers do not have stalls to display their products, they ask buyers to pick up items at their homes or just do meet ups. A word of caution to online shoppers, just like everywhere else, there are people who manipulate buyers to get payment and run away without giving the items which were purchased. Be sure to get the item first before paying or just to "kaliwaan" to be sure.

Happy shopping to everyone and do not forget that Christmas is not about gifts and money but it is the spirit of giving and spending quality time with your family. Have a blessed Christmas to all!

My First Race - Haribon Million Hectare Challenge

First of all, I would like to congratulate Haribon Foundation for the successful Million Hectare Challenge last November 21, 2010. More than a thousand people joined the race and supported the cause to raise funds to restore our forests by the year 2020. Everyone had a great time and some runners can not wait for the Haribon Run next year. As for me, I am very happy for my first run and I decided to continue running as what I mentioned on my previous blog post.

I joined the 5k race and successfully finished it in 37 minutes and 10 seconds. It was a slow pace but I know I will improve in the coming months. I could have finished earlier if I knew the route and was not dependent on race marshals. I was a bit relaxed, saving my energy for the last 50 meters because I was planning to finish in a bit of a sprint. I had a hard time during 2 uphill stages and I relaxed a bit to gain strength. To my surprise, race marshals were pointing to a direction towards the finish line and I have plenty of energy left. I was a bit smiling when I crossed the finish line because I knew that in my next race, I would definitely get a better time and I knew 5k is not that difficult after all. I can run for 6 or 7k next time, to prepare for the next 5k run and in a few months, try the 10k run.


I am planning to join another race this December and train during the holidays. I am so excited to start this running hobby and I am also looking forward to meet new runner friends. My wife has always been very supportive and in fact had a great time running the 3k race too. Hopefully, she'll have more time on her hands and try the 5k run next year.

I would also like to give my sincerest gratitude to the Rotary Club of Midtown Diliman for supporting the Haribon Million Hectare Challenge, most specially President Randy Tan for being present during the event. Finally, congratulations to my loving wife, Yasmin Mangila Ponce for doing a great job as the overall logistics supervisor, I am very proud of her accomplishments and will always be there to support her future projects and endeavors.

Nike, Adidas and Reebok Running Shoes

I will be starting my goal to get serious in running this coming Sunday at Haribon Foundation's Million Hectare Challenge at Mckinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. A must have is a good quality running shoes since I will be running the 5 kilometer distance. I plan to run 3-4 races more for the 5km distance then I will decide if I will be ready for the 10 kilometer race. I recently talked to a friend who has been running since last year and he told me that shoes will be my biggest investment. He already has 3-4 pairs and he is again looking for a new one. I knew that it is a bit expensive but compared to my other interest, which is to build my own mountain bike, this sport will be hands down much cheaper.


Now, after visiting a few malls and running shoes shop, I became confused. There are a lot of nice shoes to choose from. Other than the usual brands- Nike, Adidas and Reebok, other brands have good looking shoes too. New Balance, Salomon, Merell, Mizuno, Asics, Newton, etc. made consumers have a wide variety of brands to choose from. From these options, I asked my friend's advice and he told me he prefers Adidas. I agreed it was a nice choice since I bought my Samba 4 or 5 years ago, been using it regularly and it is still alive and nice to look at. I also had my experiences with Nike but unfortunately, they never last for more than a year. Will I give Reebok a chance or try other brands? I searched the internet about reviews of running shoes and most American say they prefer Saucony, Nike and Adidas. Too bad we do not have a retailer of Saucony brand here in the Philippines.

I will have to wait and see, try one brand this year and probably another one or two next year. Then I will know which brand do I truly prefer and recommend to use for running.

Manny Pacquiao Simply the Best Boxer

In what appears to be Manny Pacquiao's biggest opponent and test to his illustrious career, against Antonio Margarito, 4 1/2 inches taller and 17 lbs heavier, Pacquiao did what he does best-winning a boxing match in a very convincing manner. Margarito suffered a devastating defeat that he needs a surgery to his fractured eye socket. It was such a one-sided match that you may think that Pacquiao had the best training and Margarito had so many distractions.

Much has been written and said about Team Pacquiao's camp and training being the worst ever, from distractions in Baguio City and meetings with politicians, a singing engagement in a tv show, coaching a basketball team in the US, campaigning for a US Senator, preparing for a concert after the Margarito match, Pacquiao has done it all. He has multi tasked once again, in the weeks before his bout with Margarito, and pulled off a very convincing win that makes people wonder how did he do all that? Will he ever be called the greatest boxer even if does not have a match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. at all?

I say, yes. Definitely. Pacquiao does not need Mayweather to be called the best. Mayweather may be a defensive specialist, and has not lost once but he has not made any convincing win as convincing as Pacquiao has done from the last boxing matches he had. According to Bob Arum, his manager, Manny has not only won his match against his opponents but perhaps ended or altered their careers. From David Diaz, Oscar dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito. Among the boxers mentioned, only Joshua Clottey seems to probably have a future in boxing. Diaz has not been heard for a while, Dela Hoya and Hatton retired, Cotto is still recovering and Margarito will need several months, probably a year to heal his wounds and spirit. Mayweather has repeatedly avoided having a match signed against Pacquiao and with legal issues hounding him right now against his former girlfriend, I doubt he will agree this time. Mayweather is not a multi tasker like Pacquiao and has not handled mental pressures as well as Pacquiao. At this point in time, Pacquiao is right, Mayweather needs him and Pacquiao does not need Mayweather.

If the match will defy odds and push through, when Floyd losses, everybody will expect that his reason for loosing will be his distractions outside the ring. This will be unfair for Pacquiao. Before every fight, Manny trains as hard as he can and it will be unfair to not credit him the win against Floyd. So, the best option may be a fight with Marquez. Will Marquez be a formidable opponent against Pacquiao? Is his performance against Mayweather a good gauge for him to be worthy of Pacquiao's stature? I say no. Some boxing analysts say that Pacquiao could have lost to Marquez once or twice but the Pacquiao who was against Marquez during those time was only half of what he is today. He is such an excellent boxer today that a match with Marquez will be a mismatch once again. Pacquiao's desired weight of 145 lbs is high for Marquez because he was so outclassed by Mayweather during their last match. But who knows? Maybe Marquez has improved too?

For me, this is the best time for Pacquiao to retire. He has achieved so much for the sport, for his family and for the Filipino people that it is hard to think of what is left for him to prove. His venture to politics may help or inspire more people but it may also be his downfall. Once he retires, I suggest for him to concentrate on helping other Filipino boxers achieve what he has done by providing a scientific way of training them and hiring the best trainers from all over the world. There may never be another Manny Pacquiao to pass by Philippine history but it will be nice to see Pacquiao protegees once in a while. Not only in boxing, he may venture in being the country's godfather in sports and help athletes have good exposure, training and equipment so that in 5 or 10 years from now, we may soon achieve our first, second or maybe third gold medal in the greatest sporting event of all time- the Olympics.

Running for Fitness

This coming November 21, Sunday, I will be one of the participants of Haribon Foundation's Million Hectare Challenge. I will be joining the 5-kilometer race and I hope my time will be decent enough compared to other runners in the event. Yesterday, my wife and I went to see a similar fun run in SM Mall of Asia grounds to observe how the organizers managed the event and for me to see what are the best times by first place finishers of the race.

2 Kilometers - around 20 minutes
5 Kilometers - 24 minutes
10 Kilometers - 34 minutes.

First place finishers of 2 and 5 kilometers were Filipinos but the first and second place finisher of the 10 kilometers were Kenyans (I think, judging by their looks). According to one of the organizers of the event, the first place finisher of the 5 and 10 kilometers race were familiar faces of previous races. We were told that these participants are training for a bigger competition, probably a marathon within the coming months. Even kids as young as 12 and 13 years old finished within 35 minutes of the 5-kilometer run.

So in order for me to have a decent time for the 5k race, I have to finish within the 40 minute mark. I hope I can make it. I have been training once a week (its not enough though) and have been finishing 15 minutes for a 2.5k run (with great effort). If my pace is consistent, I estimate to finish the 5k run within 35-40 minutes. So, I have 14 days left to train more and hopefully I will have a good run on the 20th.

After the Haribon Run, I am planning to run regularly and join more running events. Hopefully by next year, I can compete with the 10k run. If I can do 40 minutes for a 5k run, I can probably do 1 hour and 30 minutes for a 10k run. That is way much slower than the Kenyan time of 34 minutes but I am not planning to outdo a Kenyan. These people have been running all their lives. I just plan to be physically fit so that even at the age of 70 years and up, I can still run and join races and inspire my wife and children to be healthy and enjoy sports like I do.

Sore eyes

Less than 2 months to go before Christmas Day and 2011 and I got a common virus that affects my work. I have so much to do this coming weeks because I do have to earn extra for the coming holiday expenses. I missed an important group meeting last night and I am not sure I will be 100% ready tomorrow. I have another important meeting on Monday so I have to be well by that time. Last time I got this disease was when I was in grade school. According to the Department of Health, there are now several strains of sore eyes and if you get infected with one strain, there is also a possibility that you will also be infected with another strain.

What complicates this situation is I am staying at home to let the virus pass, but I am living with my wife and our two kids. My wife got sore eyes about a month ago and our youngest, a 5 month old baby got infected too. Our eldest son got infected but recovered very quickly but to my surprise, I did not get infected. Now, if i assume that this is another strain, then there is a chance my wife and two kids will be infected again. I really hope and pray that they would not and I am doing everything to disinfect our things to minimize the spread of the virus.

My wife told me that this may be a sign that I should slow down things a bit since I am working very hard these past weeks. She said, I should rest to avoid getting a disease which may be worse than my condition right now. Well, I guess she is right so I am slowing down my pace. I just hope that everything will be alright by the end of the week so I can go back to my normal work pace.