Tag Archives: Metro Manila

Men In Red

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Jaywalking is habitual and usual activities of people crossing the streets anywhere in the world but it is also the most cause of vehicular accident in the streets which a normal stationary or immobile traffic signs cannot mobilize or done.

And this jaywalking related incident is high in number in the Philippines, particularly on or within Metro Manila areas where most population of the Philippines has large contributions. Thus, the traffic management system within the Metropolitan areas made a plan to decrease the number of accidents related to jaywalking or jaywalking accidents.

This traffic management system of Metro Manila or this traffic management system that supervise the traffic system within Metro Manila areas has or have done many traffic plans and traffic control system schemes, now they have created on invented a new way or new scheme to control those people who jaywalk.

Last Tuesday or June 5,2012,the The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) deployed its Anti-Jaywalking Unit or so-called “Men in Red” to enforce and strictly implement their campaign against jaywalking within Metro Manila particularly on the following areas : EDSA-Ortigas, EDSA-Balintawak, Pasay-Taft, Monumento in Caloocan City and Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City.

The Anti-Jaywalking Unit Team are men dressed on red polo shirt and cap and with holding placards written, “Bawal Tumawid” and “No Jaywalking”

“..At least 97 men clad in red polo shirt and cap with signages “Bawal Tumawid” and “No Jaywalking” were deployed in the following areas: EDSA-Ortigas, EDSA-Balintawak, Pasay-Taft, Monumento in Caloocan City and Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City…”

Those anyone caught by these Men in Red will be fine with P200 pesos, as of its enforcement there are already number of Jaywalkers caught by the Men in Red.

“..As of 10 a.m., the MMDA’s Men in Red already caught 52 jaywalkers in EDSA-Ortigas and in Litex, Barangay Commonwealth. Jaywalkers will pay P200 fine…the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday apprehended 64 jaywalkers, bringing to 228 the number of violators nabbed in the first two days of the campaign against jaywalking.

According to the MMDA, 13 jaywalkers were rounded up and given pedestrian violation receipts (PVRs) along Ortigas Avenue; 17 in Taft Avenue, Manila; seven in Litex Road, in Quezon City; nine near the Manila Central University in Caloocan City; and five at the Balintawak area….”

“…At least 114 jaywalkers in Metro Manila were accosted in the first few hours of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s anti-jaywalking drive….”

However, according to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA),the children and elderly, as well as those who are physically infirm or have physical and mental disabilities are exempted to this Anti-Jaywalking Unit Team or exempted to be fine but not on caught because if Men in Red or Anti-Jaywalking Unit Team let them pass of course they will be hit by running vehicles on the road.

“..But Tolentino also said that while persons with disabilities, the elderly and minors will not be fined, they will not be exempt from “lectures” against jaywalking….”

“’Yung menor de edad at persons with disabilities at senior citizens, hindi natin sila pagmumultahin. May batas na exempted sila sa liability. Pero bawal sila tumawid; lelecture-an sila. Ang ‘di makabayad may disaster training,”

“…The report said the MMDA “Men in Red” also reminded the elderly pedestrians to seek MMDA personnel’s assistance to cross the footbridge….”

“…But the report said the MMDA was relatively lenient on senior citizens who did not want to use the footbridges.

Earlier, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the elderly and people with disabilities will not be fined but will be subject to a lecture against jaywalking…”

Those who are caught Jaywalking or caught violating the Anti-Jaywalking campaign or Anti-Jaywalking drive of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) who cannot pay the fine of P200 pesos will be put to 15-minute lecture about disaster preparedness.

“…Those who cannot pay the fine will get an on-the-spot 15-minute lecture on disaster preparedness….”

The area that is mostly accident prone is the EDSA-Ortigas area.
“…Most of the 114 who were accosted at the EDSA-Ortigas area alone chose to attend a disaster management seminar instead of pay a P200 fine, radio dzBB’s Glen Juego reported.

The report said the EDSA-Ortigas area had been one of the most accident-prone areas for jaywalkers…”

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) created the Anti-Jaywalking campaign or the Anti-Jaywalking Drive so as to lead the people walking on the streets into safety or save them from accident or being hit by vehicles on their jaywalking and let them walk on footbridges instead rather than risk the jaywalking.

However,some people still stubborn or reluctant to walk on footbridges but rather risk to cross the road though there is already an imminent risk of being hit by the vehicles crossing the road.

“…Many jaywalkers continued to shun the footbridges along parts of Commonwealth Avenue when they saw no one was around to reprimand them before 6 a.m., radio dzBB’s Allan Gatus reported.

For Monday, the MMDA’s “Men in Red” were ordered to catch jaywalkers and give them a reprimand and reminder on the anti-jaywalking drive…. The MMDA had cited the safety of pedestrians in enforcing the anti-jaywalking policy, noting some had been hit by passing vehicles when they cross the road….”

According to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chief or Chairman Francis Tolentino, they are just concern about the welfare of the people crossing the streets but some people just stubborn and don’t love their lives.

For according to him, last year there “… was a daily average of 14 pedestrian-related traffic accidents…” which alarms the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority or MMDA, thus they implement the Anti-Jaywalking drive or campaign to stop or avert the increasing number of pedestrian related accidents, especially jaywalking.

“Last year, there was a daily average of 14 pedestrian-related traffic accidents. This is an alarming figure,”

“We should highlight to the public the dangers of jaywalking. This is one way to discourage them from crossing just about anywhere,…”

Moreover, according to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, they will do a drive to crack down vendors on footbridges and on roads so as to not to hamper the flow of people crossing the footbridges and the streets.

“…Tolentino also hinted the MMDA will soon crack down on vendors occupying the footbridges and hampering the flow of people using such facilities..”

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will also embarked on extensive repair or repainting and installations of new pedestrian lanes or has done repainting and installation of more pedestrian lanes. There are already 1,300 pedestrian lanes that are repainted and some of these pedestrian lanes were pedestrian lanes from San Juan City, Manila, Pateros, Makati, and Mandaluyong cities; Eight pedestrian lanes from San Juan City, eight in Manila, four in Pateros, one in Makati city, and one in Mandaluyong cities.

“..Eight pedestrian lanes were already repainted in San Juan City, eight in Manila, four in Pateros, and one each in Makati and Mandaluyong cities….”

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is an agency in the Philippines that supervises, plans, monitors, the traffic system within Metro Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan and the municipality of Pateros.

“…The MMDA performs planning, monitoring and coordinative functions, and in the process exercise regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of metro-wide services within Metro Manila without diminution of the autonomy of the local government units concerning purely local matters.

The agency is headed by a Chairman, who is appointed by the President and continues to hold office at the discretion of the appointing authority. He is vested with the rank, rights, privileges, disqualifications, and prohibitions of a cabinet member…”

Ayala Bags First PPP Money

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Ayala Corporation recently declared that it has bag first the money allotted for PNoy’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program amounting 2 billion pesos for the project Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Link Road which is considered to be the very first project auctioned by the Aquino administration for its Public-Private Partnership(PPP) program; to be the winning bidder and were so very excited to bag more.

“We are delighted to have submitted a competitive proposal for the first project under the government’s public-private partnership program. This is a good initial foray in the transport infrastructure space and we believe this successful experience working within a public-private partnership framework would be helpful in pursuing future projects under the ppp program”, said by Ayala Corporation president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala.
They bag the fund last December 22,2011 hand over by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and were also expected to complete all the requirements for the right-of-way within six months upon signing the concession agreement.

However, the Ayala Corporation is not alone on this project but in partnership with a Spanish Engineering company, Getinsa; that will help the Ayala conglomerate in their expertise in infrastructure projects the detailed design of the project is expected to be complete within four months.

The Link Road project is named “Daang Hari” because the road will start at the Daang Hari if one is in Imus cavite and desire to enter the south Luzon expressway near the Susana Heights Interchange and would enter Cavite.

Actually, this road project is a major arterial road that will connect the towns of Imus, Dasmarinas, and Bacoor Cavite to Metro Manila via South Luzon Expressway (SLEx).It is a Cavite bound road or a road that will provide strategic access to Cavite.

This road project handled by the Ayala Corporation under PNoy’s Public-private partnership program is expected to start its construction by February 2012(segment 1) and will end on September 2012(segment 2)

The expected starting toll rate once this project is finally running or open: P17 for class 1 vehicles,P34 for class 2 vehicles and P51 for class 3 vehicles; all the toll rates are valued-added tax(VAT) inclusive or have already value-added tax(VAT) included on each.
This road project is advantageous to Ayala Corporation because through this road, their real estate properties within Cavite can now be easily accessible to their estate owners and clients.

Another road in the Philippines that is mostly the few rich clans in the Philippines has more advantage of.

Unemployment In Manila

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The congested known capital of the Philippines with almost 12 million people and growing have lower employment rate? It is not implausible that Metro Manila though it has a million souls yet have less workforce for the populace composes thousands of squatters who have no permanent job or are jobless, but just resorting on criminal activities like theft to get through everyday their Manila life.
The drop in employment or the decrease on the number of employed workers on Metro Manila’s seven hundred large business enterprises signifies growing rate of unemployment within Metro Manila despite its growing large population.

According to the Statistics of Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES),employment in Metro Manila on the said seven hundred business enterprises decreased by 2.05 percent this second quarter of the year 2011.The Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) blame this employment drop on the decline of Philippine economy.

“This occurred as the4 domestic economy – measured in terms of gross domestic product or GDP – slowed down considerably to 3.4 percent in the second quarter from the robust 8.9 percent growth in 2010…measured in terms of labor turnover rate, employment growth declined as hiring or accession rate fell behind separation rate by 2.05 percentage points..”

The accession rate is 8.60 percent while separation rate is 10.65 percent, thus it yields 2.05 percent decrease.

On accession rate, according to the Statistics of Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) is reduced to 21 workers per 1,000 employed persons were hired on the workforce and 86 workers per 1,000 employed were hired due to replacement from the fired or terminated workers or resigned workers.

While separation rate is increased into 107 workers per 1,000 employed were either terminated or fired from their jobs or have quitted/resigned from their jobs.

The business enterprises that gains highest separation rate are:

(1) Real Estate and Renting and Business activities; gaining 9.43 percent either employee initiated quits or fired by the employer;

(2) Manufacturing business; gaining 6.04 percent either employee initiated quits or fired by the employer;

(3) And Hotel and Restaurants; gaining 6.02 percent either employee initiated quits or fired by the employer.

The separation rate is more of employee initiated quits or resigns having 6.67 percent than employer initiated quits or than being fired or terminated having only 3.98 percent. Thus, signifies that most workers in Metro Manila are not personally satisfied in their work or jobs or somewhat not committed.

Awards For Employees

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Recognize and reward the good working habit and attitude of your employees then you will have a loyal winning team. This is the idea behind rewarding and awarding public and private employees advocated on every annual award giving bodies on every private and public companies in the Philippines.

But the most famous award giving bodies that awards and rewards public and private employees of the Philippines in the Philippines is the annual Ten Outstanding Young Employees of Metro Manila or popularly known in the Philippines as TOYEMM founded by Mr. Luis C. Buenaventura.

Actually TOYEMM was formerly known as TOYEM [with one M only] or as the Ten Outstanding Young Employees of Marikina (TOYEM) for a decade and a year or for eleven (11) years at Marikina city and in the Philippines, awarding Marikina employees but this 2011, it has been broaden to extend and widen the search and scope of its recognition on the good working habit of a young Filipino employee across the seventeen(17) cities and municipalities of Metro Manila. Thus, it becomes the Ten Outstanding Young Employees of Metro Manila (TOYEMM) and no more the Ten Outstanding Young Employees of Marikina (TOYEM).

The people of Marikina city were not bitter about the change of their own award giving body but duly accepted the consequential extension and widening of its search and scope and sphere of recognizing good young Filipino employees; for it only means that their own award system for young employees has been successful that their neighboring cities and municipalities or the whole Metro Manila have embraced and supported their own reward system as their own also.

The basic age requirement so that one could qualify for nominations aside from good working habits one exemplifies on the workplace and aside from being a resident of Metro Manila, is that one should be as young as 18 to 30 years of age in order to qualify for nominations, whether the young employee works as a permanent employee, part-time employee or contractual employee as long as he or she works at the following ten (10) categories for nominations:

(1) Manufacturing
(2) Religious/Civic/Non-profit Organizations
(3) Academe
(4) Small and Medium Scale Enterprises
(5) Groceries/Supermarkets/Malls
(6) Publishing/Printing/Communication
(7) Food Service
(8) Medical/Healthcare Enterprise
(9) Government Service
(10) Bank/Financial Services

Yes, one young awardees for every category will be awarded; Thus, Ten Outstanding Young Employees Awardees. The nominee should be able to attend the awards night or the “Gabi ng Parangal” Award Night on October 28, 2011 at Hotel Intercontinental Manila.
This year theme is: The Challenge of Consistency and Dependability in the Workplace “The March of Icons”

Transport Hassles

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Transportation Problem With MRT /LRT?

Transportation is very important because it leads us to where we are plan and desire to go to, but sometimes using our own two feet is not enough to meet our desire to go on this and that place for it will weary our feet and our bodies from walking and running; not considering the time we spent in walking or running just to get to where are intending to head to. Thus, transportation vehicles were invented to help and assist us in our transportation needs.

In our modern times, there are already high –tech and speedy ways to get to where we want to go to without wearying our feet on walking and running and that which could save our precious time and energy; as well as money for hiring someone or hire a public transport vehicles to get to where we are heading to. That is the fastest land transport vehicles we have today so far are Trains. These trains could speed up our transportation needs. However, as our nature is imperfect, so also our inventions. There is still lacking and not perfect.

MRT/LRT

MRT/LRT

In the Philippines, trains is the cheapest and speedy way to transport people around the metro manila, and Filipinos called them MRT/LRT or Metro Railway Transit/Light Railway Transit; just like on other countries.

Though Metro Rail Transit(MRT)/Light Rail Transit(LRT) is truly a very good and speedy transportation within Metro Manila that could save your time and money compare to taxis and bus that cost you great time due to traffics and big fares; there is still problems riding with it, That is the ticketing system and the overcrowding. Most MRT/LRT commuters complained about these two issues, which could delay their needed time to go on such place on their scheduled time. Thus, it shows that there is no big difference between riding a bus with riding MRT.

So what is the problem anyway why there are problems like these? Most MRT commuters notice that there are less ticket outlets and tickets were just sold right on the spot of the ticketing areas without some other means to get tickets before going to MRT stations.

And in terms of overcrowding within the trains, this is probably due not only MRT tickets are cheap, somewhere 15 pesos per ride thus people took advantage of this cheap yet speedy air conditioned ride; but it could also be the size of the trains and the number of trains available for riding. For some MRT commuters complains that the trains are always fully loaded which gave some people perception of fear of train crashing or a susceptible vulnerability to be attack by terrorists, for terrorists loves to attack mostly crowded people.

MRT/LRT Station

MRT/LRT Station

Plastic Philippines

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Greener Pinas Without Plastic?

Seeing green makes life more colorful, is not it? Though it is ironic, it really make sense to filled the land with plants and trees and use biodegradable materials for one’s daily consuming and using activities since it is you yourself who will suffer if you don’t do everything right and in proper manner.

The traumatic effect of the typhoon “Ondoy” has compel led environmentalist groups in cooperation with the present administration to pursue ultimately the zero waste management plan particularly on the congested Metro Manila. That is they urged the present government to push a plastic free lifestyle; a plastic bags-free way of life in order to prevent another “Ondoy” in the making. The reason for this undertaking is that, plastic bags clogged sewerage systems in Metro Manila which contribute largely to instant flooding even if the sky only jingles for a while, due to plastic bags are not biodegradable materials.

Plastic bags

Plastic bags

EcoWaste Coalition, which is the leading environmental advocates of this program, want to ban the use of plastic bags within the entire Metro Manila, particularly on supermarkets and malls; and use “bayong” or the other baskets and bags made from biodegradable materials in order once and for all to stop the yearly flood problems in Metro Manila. However, is it only plastic bags the only plastic materials that clogged the sewerage system of Metro Manila? How about plastic sachets bags from shampoos, conditioners, instant milk, chocolate, coffee, creamer, and juices? What about the large plastic packs from milk, chocolate, coffee, creamer, juices, soy sauce, vinegar, instant mami or noodles, and other pack instant foods, beverages and spices? Are they not clogging also the sewerage system apart from plastic bags?

However, it is understandable that these processed foods, beverages and spices packed in plastic containers could not be replaced by biodegradable containers for health risk at stake then due to bacteria and fungus or bad yeasts that could develop on biodegradable containers that could obviously affect the processed food inside of it.

Biodegradable Bag

Biodegradable Bag

Take for example, the canned foods; the metal used in canned foods could easily be contaminated because it is somewhat biodegradable, the can slowly rusting and corroding if left on very humid surrounding or left stored on cabinets. Thus, it shortens the life span of the food stored in it.

Perhaps, the ban on usage of plastic bags is only cheap way to minimize the flooding problem in Metro Manila and not holistically will solve the problem.

Water Crisis in Manila

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Water Crisis in Metro Manila Philippines 2010

Water problem is always a problem that keeps on reoccurring and would not go away among the Metro Manila dwellers. It is like a disease that is hard to cure varying from water supply bills, water supply shortage, volume of water discharge on faucets, leaking water pipeline, unclean water discharge, and most of all the uncontrolled flow of too much excess water or so-called flood.

Slum near Manila Bay

Slum near Manila Bay

Almost every year there is a water problem in Metro Manila part of the Philippines and the most recent is the ongoing water crisis or shortage supply of water manifested by a rotational shift of water supply. This is due to the lower water level of Angat Dam where most Metro Manila dwellers get their water supply through Maynilad (the water suppliers of the west zone part of Metro Manila) and Manila Water (the water suppliers of the east zone part of Metro Manila) machinery or water systems.

Of course, a dam reservoir do not produce its own water rather it depends upon the amount or volume of rainfall whenever it rains, thus, if it does not rain for a year, the water level on a dam reservoir declines unless Maynilad and Manila Water will do something to fix it at once lest if not there would be a crisis of water supply or the worse a no water supply to those Metro Manila dwellers whose water pipes are connected to Maynilad and Manila Water water pipelines.

Water Shortage in Manila

Water Shortage in Manila

Therefore, how can this repetitive and annual problem be solved, if Metro Manila Philippines will not be decongested with too much dwellers and extend the economic progress to provinces that is mostly centered on Manila Philippines.

Land Transportation in the Philippines

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There are a lot of ways and means of transportation to get around the Philippines. In Manila, there are 3 types of railways. The first one is the Light Rail Transit or commonly known as the LRT, which connects to major cities and municipalities around Metro Manila. The second one is the Metro Rail Transit or MRT, also connecting to various cities and municipalities in Metro Manila.

Nowadays, LRT’s and MRT’s are crowded with passengers everyday. Because it makes the traveling time way shorter than traveling in jeepneys and buses. The railways avoid the daily heavy traffic in Manila.

The third one is the Philippine National Railways or PNR. This has several stations in Manila. It offers daily trips outside Metro Manila. Like in Sorsogon, Davao, Pampanga.

Other public utility vehicles are the taxi, jeepney, mini-bus, tricycles, buses and pedicabs.
Taxis are mainly found in Metro Manila and are metered-operated. You can find jeepneys all over the Philippines, with a standard fare rate of seven pesos. But it also changes depending on how much gasoline is in the world market. Tricycles are only allowed in small roads, mainly inside villages and small districts. Tricycles are motorcycles assembled with a side-car. They can accommodate 4-6 passengers at a time, depending on how big or small they are. Pedicabs are bicycles assembled with a side-car. They are only allowed inside villages and very small roads.  Mini-buses and buses can be found in main in the Philippines.

Some of the major bus companies in the Philippines are Baliwag Transit, The Philippine Rabbit and Victory Liner. The bus fare depends on how many kilometers the destination will be.

The main ports and harbors in the Philippines are: The Manila International Cargo Terminal and Eva Macapagal Port Terminal. They’re both in the pier of Manila. Also frequently used port and harbors are the Batangas Port and the one in Subic.
There are also a lot of local airlines in the Philippines. But the most well-known is The Philippine Airlines which is also the national flag carrier.

Makati City in the Philippines

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Makati City and Metro Manila in the Philippines

Makati City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, which is the greater metropolitan area of the National Capital Region of the Philippines.

Makati City is also the major financial, economical and commercial hub in the Philippines. It is often referred to as the financial capital of the Philippines.

Makati City is the home to the influential Makati Business Club and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Ayala Avenue in Makati City, which is running through the heart of downtown Makati Central Business which is often called the Wall Street of the Philippines. Because of it’s close resemblance to the Wall Street of New York City.

Makati City is noted for its highly cosmopolitan culture. That’s why many expatriates live and work in the city. The barangays (villages or districts) in Makati City are way different than the other cities in Metro Manila. Because they offer ample free services and health assistance to its residents. The public parks are full of trees and are decently clean.

Makati is also home to many first-class and high-end shopping malls. Targeting the city’s expatriates and the business working class.

Makati City also has the tallest buildings in the Philippines. Almost like skyscrapers, like the PBCom Tower and G.T. International Tower. The city also has many of the country’s 5-Star hotels which are The Peninsula Hotel Manila, The Shangri-La Hotel Makati and Hotel Intercontinental Manila.

Makati City is the home for some embassies too. Like the Australian Embassy, Canadian Embassy and the German Embassy, all are located at the RCBC Tower.
So if you want to experience the clean, hustle and bustle of a city, Makati is worth giving a visit.