Summertime in Manila means brand new Television Station IDs created for its loyal viewers (as well as advertisers) by the two premier Broadcasting Networks in the Philippines - GMA 7 and ABS CBN. What about ABC 5, clearly the 3rd largest and poised (?) to become the 2nd(according to its publishers)? Perhaps busy taking care of the improglio that the station has found itself in, what with the current hosting fiasco committed by their very own (butter-and-butter) Willie Revillame.
In the meantime, let's just focus first on ABS and GMA's IDs, check them out and see which of the two is better.
Halo-Halo Station ID of GMA 7
Bida Best sa Tag Araw ABS-CBN ID Station
Have you decided yet which of the two is better station ID?
Monday, April 11, 2011
It's Summertime Once Again
Summertime is officially open in the City of Manila and the whole archipelago in general. Unusually however, the cold air is still here to give one quite some chills (like me for instance) in the early morning, even in Manila City. Today, the average temperature is 31 degrees Celsius, which we can still as very comfortable by Philippine standards. And I believe it should already be hot by this time if I would base from my previous summer experiences in the country. Anyways, welcome to a hot and hopefully short summer season!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Eat Bulaga's Sugod Bahay in Blumentritt Manila
Tomorrow is gonna be LE....wait for it..(in the tradition of Barney's famous line in US sitcom "how I met your mother")GENDARY..and AWESOME even as Eat Bulaga, the Number 1 Noontime show in the Whole Wide World, oops, not that much, but at least in the whole of the Philippine archipelapo, especially in Metro Manila, will be broadcast live from streets of Blumentritt. That's right, to be done here in our very own place in Sta Cruz Manila will be a few segments of the show. I believe one of the segments is called "All for Juan - Sugod Bahay" and it is here where they give all sorts of goodies such as sacks of rice, grocery bags and even thousands of pesos to the lucky home owner. So who's gonna be the lucky one in our place tomorrow. I will definitely stay tuned. Anyway, here's a sample video of the popular Sugod Bahay segment of Eat Bulaga.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Unusually Cool Manila Morning
It must be true what the weather experts here in the Philippines said in their announcement that it is going to be a short and cooler summer this year. I just awoke to quite a cool morning that I decided to take my usual bath a little later and instead have some nice cup of coffee. I checked on the internet for the temperature in the city of Manila and it says 26 degrees at around 7 o’clock in the morning. This is definitely a welcome surprise!
Manila City and the rest of the country is hot and humid, even so sweaty, at the time when the summer season arrives. This is the time when most malls are full of people just to take advantage of their cool ambiance. More and more people troop to the Manila Bay for some supposedly cool dip in its dingy, polluted and hence unhealthy waters. The more conscientious ones go to other cleaner (read: less dirty) beaches and springs of Cavite, Batangas and Laguna provinces.
Hopefully the pleasant weather stays around much further up until June or July or up to October even. How I wish I am not pushing my luck too far.
Manila City and the rest of the country is hot and humid, even so sweaty, at the time when the summer season arrives. This is the time when most malls are full of people just to take advantage of their cool ambiance. More and more people troop to the Manila Bay for some supposedly cool dip in its dingy, polluted and hence unhealthy waters. The more conscientious ones go to other cleaner (read: less dirty) beaches and springs of Cavite, Batangas and Laguna provinces.
Hopefully the pleasant weather stays around much further up until June or July or up to October even. How I wish I am not pushing my luck too far.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Mornings of Coffee and Hot Pandesal, AM news and Defective Digicam
It certainly is a great way to start the morning than having a nice coffee, with hot pan de sal (Filipino bread: literally means bread of salt) and slices of cheddar cheese. I wake up at 5.30 in the morning, most of the time that is. Immediately I bring my HP laptop downstairs to start my online work which is the usual stuff like updating my blogs and writing my daily work (articles) assignments. Mornings are not complete without my usual dose of early news from GMA DZBB. With just the right volume, the radio newscast complements my doing my online tasks amidst a still quiet morning atmosphere. There would be times when the news can be not so nice to hear and so it does affect my concentration on the current task at hand. What I do is switch to hearing some pop music stored on my computer instead.
Once I decided on forgoing doing my online work one morning and just go out to take some pictures which I can use and post at My City of Manila blog. After some quick coffee, I went out at 5:30 AM and took the jeep going to Taft. For my destination I decided to check on Lawton so I can take some pictures of the gargantuan Post office Building. Actually there are so many structures and landmarks that I can take shots of such as the Metropolitan Theater, the Pasig River, Jones Bridge, and the Quiapo Bridge.
Once I got off at Lawton, I immediately took out my Olympus SP-310, insert two fresh AA batteries which I just bought from a neighbor sari-sari store. Immediately, I took one, two shots of the Post office façade. When I clicked on the digital cam for a third shot, a message flashed instead, saying “Empty Battery” Was I dumbfounded with disbelief! The batteries are new, or were they really? Perhaps they were old stock. I tried taking them out of the camera and reinserted them back. Still, empty battery the message says. Oh how I wished I brought the other camera, my Sony Handycam, but I decided against bringing it along as I find the photos I get from using it to be quite not very clear.
I have no other recourse but to get back home; an exercise in futility that particular morning I thought. Getting back I checked on the internet for any other similar “empty battery” problems with Olympus that might have been posted online. A whole lot. Sadly, no concrete solution was in sight. Some suggests using Lithium battery instead as these are more reliable. Others suggest interchanging and reinserting of the batteries. Still, many others suggest bringing the problem to Olympus. Most did have nothing good to say about the company. Hopefully, I would find a better solution, making my digital cam a lot more useful. Perhaps I would just go to any camera shop along the Hidalgo Street at Quiapo Manila. Wait, are they still there? I remember going there years ago just to have my films developed. Perhaps they might have the right batteries for my digital camera, which simply is an indispensible tool that one certainly needs when he maintains a personal blog.
Once I decided on forgoing doing my online work one morning and just go out to take some pictures which I can use and post at My City of Manila blog. After some quick coffee, I went out at 5:30 AM and took the jeep going to Taft. For my destination I decided to check on Lawton so I can take some pictures of the gargantuan Post office Building. Actually there are so many structures and landmarks that I can take shots of such as the Metropolitan Theater, the Pasig River, Jones Bridge, and the Quiapo Bridge.
Once I got off at Lawton, I immediately took out my Olympus SP-310, insert two fresh AA batteries which I just bought from a neighbor sari-sari store. Immediately, I took one, two shots of the Post office façade. When I clicked on the digital cam for a third shot, a message flashed instead, saying “Empty Battery” Was I dumbfounded with disbelief! The batteries are new, or were they really? Perhaps they were old stock. I tried taking them out of the camera and reinserted them back. Still, empty battery the message says. Oh how I wished I brought the other camera, my Sony Handycam, but I decided against bringing it along as I find the photos I get from using it to be quite not very clear.
I have no other recourse but to get back home; an exercise in futility that particular morning I thought. Getting back I checked on the internet for any other similar “empty battery” problems with Olympus that might have been posted online. A whole lot. Sadly, no concrete solution was in sight. Some suggests using Lithium battery instead as these are more reliable. Others suggest interchanging and reinserting of the batteries. Still, many others suggest bringing the problem to Olympus. Most did have nothing good to say about the company. Hopefully, I would find a better solution, making my digital cam a lot more useful. Perhaps I would just go to any camera shop along the Hidalgo Street at Quiapo Manila. Wait, are they still there? I remember going there years ago just to have my films developed. Perhaps they might have the right batteries for my digital camera, which simply is an indispensible tool that one certainly needs when he maintains a personal blog.
Manila's Secomoro - Herbal Demonstrator
These were taken at the Plaza Goiti, now known as Plaza Lacson in Sta Cruz Manila City, right in front of Roman Santos Building. Our main man (the albularyo), the one in charge and giving some supposedly medicinal massaging, offers pedestrians some health medicine in the form of oil. I am just not sure if the oil is made from herbs or parts of snakes.
Dried Snake Skin, bones, head; number of bottles containing whitish oil - usual medicinal implements of the typical Philippine herbalist
Albeit I saw his assistants likewise giving massages to people. It was almost nightfall yet he still has a lot of bottles to dispose. The placard placed in the midst of his wares and snake parts, like scales and bones, read reflexology and Secomoro; it even has his specific job title written on it – herbal demonstrator.
People crowding around the “Secomoro” herbal demonstrator asking for more details on the oil
Our herbalist tries to make people realize the efficacy of his oil by rubbing them some of the oil on a person’s affected (painful or diseased) part of the body and massaging it. You can have some oil at 100 pesos, probably the smallest bottle.
Oil rubbed on leg of a patron seeking some relief
Indeed, even in a supposed modern City of Manila, a good number of people would still go to cheaper means of getting body relief and even cure from any disease if given the chance.
Dried Snake Skin, bones, head; number of bottles containing whitish oil - usual medicinal implements of the typical Philippine herbalist
Albeit I saw his assistants likewise giving massages to people. It was almost nightfall yet he still has a lot of bottles to dispose. The placard placed in the midst of his wares and snake parts, like scales and bones, read reflexology and Secomoro; it even has his specific job title written on it – herbal demonstrator.
People crowding around the “Secomoro” herbal demonstrator asking for more details on the oil
Our herbalist tries to make people realize the efficacy of his oil by rubbing them some of the oil on a person’s affected (painful or diseased) part of the body and massaging it. You can have some oil at 100 pesos, probably the smallest bottle.
Oil rubbed on leg of a patron seeking some relief
Indeed, even in a supposed modern City of Manila, a good number of people would still go to cheaper means of getting body relief and even cure from any disease if given the chance.
Manila City Video Night Shot - EDSA, Mand,
Here is a short clip of the city of Manila, Metromanila to be precise, which I took at the top of the Pioneer Gateway in Mandaluyong. I love the city skyline and and just about everything below when seen from a bird's eyeview; I love it even more when witnessing the scene at night, making it more dramatic. The buildings at this part of EDSA, old and new - Cybergate Building, the construction-still-in-progress SM Residences just near the Pioneer Gateway, the Eastgate Centre, where my former office used to be located, even the starMall are all easily seen from where I was. The billboards are numerous, mostly on clothes brands, perfumes and automobiles. The Pasig River with its waters glimmering as caused by the moonlight. Obviously (and fortunately) the dark evening hides its true state (and color) This video even chanced upon one of the Metro Railway Transit trains passing by. Hopefully, I will be able to feature more videos which I will take with Sony DCR SX44 Handicam here in MY City of Manila blog. Hoping all stays tuned.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Waterless Day at Blumentritt, Manila
Today, I woke up to a waterless morning. Most parts of Blumentritt in Manila are alas without water. Not a single drop of water from the faucets, in the kitchen, bathroom, dirty kitchen, laundry room (read: the back area of the house).
What did I do?
First of all, it was a good thing there was enough water to accommodate the usual morning going-ons (bathroom and toilet), so no problem with that
Second, we still had two five-gallon jugs of mineral water (one a third full) that was enough to be used for drinking and cooking purposes. When it comes to the latter, we decided to just buy some roasted pork to do away with the use of water. I even bought some paper plates for lunch.
The problem is a busted pipe right in the middle of the intersection between Sta. Cruz Avenue and Blumentritt Street, and the guys from Maynilad (company in charge of water service this side of the city of Manila) are in the middle of fixing it. Hopefully, whatever it is that they were doing, positive comes up as soon as possible.
And indeed, my prayers were answered. While watching How I Met Your Mother (series 4, episode 16), I heard dripping from the faucet. Water is back! However, happiness was short-lived when I noticed brown water coming out. Still I am half in joy as it can still be used to clean the toilet. Better this than nothing at all.
What mom did was let water flow from time to time for the cleaner water to eventually come out. Somehow the water did get a little clearer. I guess we do have to wait for some more time before clean water from the faucet can finally be enjoyed.
Five years in Israel, a former desert, and not a single experience of water problem. Back in Manila running at 5 months and this is now the second time we had water situations. Now I know I am back in my beloved Philippines for real.
What did I do?
First of all, it was a good thing there was enough water to accommodate the usual morning going-ons (bathroom and toilet), so no problem with that
Second, we still had two five-gallon jugs of mineral water (one a third full) that was enough to be used for drinking and cooking purposes. When it comes to the latter, we decided to just buy some roasted pork to do away with the use of water. I even bought some paper plates for lunch.
The problem is a busted pipe right in the middle of the intersection between Sta. Cruz Avenue and Blumentritt Street, and the guys from Maynilad (company in charge of water service this side of the city of Manila) are in the middle of fixing it. Hopefully, whatever it is that they were doing, positive comes up as soon as possible.
And indeed, my prayers were answered. While watching How I Met Your Mother (series 4, episode 16), I heard dripping from the faucet. Water is back! However, happiness was short-lived when I noticed brown water coming out. Still I am half in joy as it can still be used to clean the toilet. Better this than nothing at all.
What mom did was let water flow from time to time for the cleaner water to eventually come out. Somehow the water did get a little clearer. I guess we do have to wait for some more time before clean water from the faucet can finally be enjoyed.
Five years in Israel, a former desert, and not a single experience of water problem. Back in Manila running at 5 months and this is now the second time we had water situations. Now I know I am back in my beloved Philippines for real.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)