The South Provincial Transport Terminal

              The Manila Metropolitan Development Authority or MMDA opens its Provincial Transport Terminal at the Coastal Mall in Paranaque this morning, August 6, 2013. Buses coming from Cavite and Batangas are prevented to enter Metro Manila and have to use this terminal.  The result? a lot of cursing from commuters were heard amidst the opening day's pageantry and media mileage.  The lowly workers who will be using the Light Rail Transit or Metro Rail Transit in Pasay had to shell out additional TEN PESOS (P10.00) going to those stations and another TEN PESOS back to the terminal or an equivalent of THREE HUNDRED FIFTY TWO PESOS (Php352.00) a month for 22 days of work. That's a lot as far as the poor workers are concerned excluding the time spent of walking out of the terminal to board another transportation.
              Fares will be cut according MMDA. It did not happen because the fare from MIA road where the bus terminal is located is the same if one will unload near LRT or MRT Pasay. Of course, this policy of the government is very much welcome by private car owners read: those who are at the upper bracket of our society because going to their respective offices will be "a little bit" smoother. Here is another proof of that theory on government policies which states that most policies favors the rich because they were crafted by the rich. Well the poor has to adjust and bite the bullet until this experiment works.  

BIBINGKA RECIPE

When I posted the photo of "Bibingka" in my facebook account, some were asking about the ingredients. Actually,I just got the recipe from another website, Pinoyrecipe "something"sorry. (panlasang pinoy ang site)I will try to really remember that site and re-post it here. So here is the recipe of the Bibingka.

1 cup rice flour

1/8 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp. butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup milk

1 pc. salted egg

1/2 cup grated cheese

3 pcs. raw eggs


1. Preheat oven to 375 degreesF

2. Combine rice flour, baking powder, and salt and mix well.

You can buy the rice flour at the grocery

3. Cream butter and sugar

4. Add eggs

5. Gradually add rice mixture

6. Pour coconut milk and fresh milk

7. Pour in pan with banana leaf

8. After 15 mins. put salted egg and cheese

9. Return to pan and bake for another 15 mins or until top turns brown.

10. Brush with butter.

Happy Eating!

Visiting Tahanang Walang Hagdanan

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              I, together with the members of the DOTC Task Force on Accessibility and some PPA employees visited “Tahanang Walang Hagdanan” in Cainta, Rizal on March 15, 2012 as part of the Women’s month celebration.  It was an opportunity to give briefings on what the government, particularly the DOTC, has been doing to support persons with disabilities (PWDs) and hear actual experiences on how our brethrens in wheelchairs earn a living on their own despite their situation.

                Some of the PWDs shared their incidents on how it still hard for them to use public transportations despite the country’s disability law because of the drivers’ refusal due to boarding inconvenience.  They were asked to file a written complaint if such situation will happen again. There was a suggestion for the task force to conduct an actual experiment by apprehending those drivers who refuse to transport PWD-acting task force members.

                After the short briefing, we toured the compound that houses the working facilities and products made by the PWDs.

11th APA Sports Meet

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        The Philippine Ports Authority recently hosted the 11^th ASEAN Ports Association (APA) Sports Meet from February 25 to March 1, 2013. Some 500 participants came from the nine member-countries of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the host country Philippines.

                Indonesia was declared overall champion of the five-day tourney winning the most number of gold medals from Futsal, Badminton, Golf, Marathon, Table Tennis and Bowling.

                The PPA made the year-long preparation and coordination to make sure that the event will be successful most especially on the security aspect. 

                From the welcome, the opening ceremony held at the Rizal memorial stadium to the closing ceremony at the Manila Hotel, everything went smoothly as scheduled. There were of course some unavoidable minute hitches mostly on the requests of going to places of interest and game venues but looking at the faces of the participants from our neighboring countries, they really had fun in the Philippines.

                The PPA chorale interpreted the  APA sports hymn and represented the Philippines during the cultural presentation singing the Filipino song that also became popular with other ASEAN countries, “Anak”.  The number was a hit.

                The Sports Meet is being held every three years and is being hosted by each member country.  The next sports meet will be held in Vietnam.