Haba haba jeep

I saw this passenger jeepney while on a stopover at a gas station inside the North Luzon expressway. It is the longest jeepney I have ever seen.

When I saw it, the first thought that came to my mind was how long does it take for this jeepney to fill up with people . Does it take off even with just one or two passengers? What if people are in a hurry?

It is possible to make the jeepney bigger and longer, but still, I don't believe that it can ever be a solution to our transportation problem.

The jeepney is not an engineering marvel that we can be proud of. It is inconvenient, poorly designed and inefficient as a mode of mass transport. It is also a major generator of pollution.

The kind of transportation system that we have says something about us. If the jeepney has become a national icon, it is because  it is how we adapted to a weak and even corrupt government that can not give us a better alternative.

We were among the first countries in our region to have a rail transport. How did we lose it and ended up with the most backward transport system? It is time that we do something about it.

Let us have a real modern mass rapid transportation system. As for the jeepney, let us try to use our imagination to evolve it for other uses.

Night magic

View of a riverside community at dusk as seen from across the Guadalupe Ferry Station

Night is usually a metaphor for gloom.

But sometimes night can bring out the beauty of something which is otherwise plain or even ugly in broad daylight.

Such is the magic of the night.

Fake Japanese Stores

Isn't it cheating when a store is given a Japanese name but then sell products mostly made from another country? This is like faking a whole store to ride on the good image of Japan.

Caveat emptor.

Philippine Map

Fidelism

It is possible to make people lie and perjure against somebody by threatening them. But what we must all realize is that lies may allow you to live a little longer but only the truth can set you free.

Chocolate to fight depression

It has been claimed that among other things, chocolate can help fight depression.

If true, this is great news.  I love chocolates and I certainly won't mind having them from time to time. The only reason I hold back from eating them more often is the sugar and I don't like resorting to artificial sweeteners either.

Since I can only have chocolates occasionally, I think of them more as a reward for achieving something instead of a cure that some chocolate researchers tout them to be.

Hoya mindorensis

Hoya mindorensis. Nahuli lang ako ng isang araw sa pagkuha ng litrato ganito na agad ang nagging itsura

Dahil sa nagandahan ako sa mga litrato ng bulaklak ng Hoya mindorensis, sinubukan kong mag alaga nito.

Pero dahil hindi naman talaga ako marunong at matiyagang mag-alaga ng halaman, medyo napabayaan ko ito.

Ganoonpaman, paminsan minsan, parang magagandang surpresa na bigla ko na lang makikita na nagbubulaklak na ang mga ito na parang ipinapaalala sa akin na huwag ko naman sila kalimutan.

Kanina lang ay ang Hoya mindorensis naman ang nagpakita ng kanyang bulaklak. Maganda nga sana ito pero sana ang ating mga siyentipiko o kahit mga plant enthusiast man lang ay magawang mapalaki ang mga bulaklak nito at mapatagal ang buhay.

Tulad halimbawa ng hoya sa larawan, ang bilis lumampas ng kaganapan ng pinakamagandang pamumulaklak niya kaya ganito na lang ang itsura niya ng maisipan kong kunan ng litrato.

Repurposed mosquito swatter

I think the electric mosquito swatter is a great idea. The problem with it though is that it breaks down easily but it is not as easy to repair if it can even be repaired at all. People have no choice but to discard broken swatters and buy new ones.

But just imagine the waste. If only there is a way to easily repair these gadgets or to repurpose them.

I am thinking that if there is a kind of slow drying adhesive that can be applied to the screen of the swatter, then maybe it will still be possible to use them. Instead of zapping the mosquitos they will just get stuck on the screen for removal later.

A security guard at a fast food outlet had a different idea however. Instead of catching mosquitos, he repurposed his swatter to catch flies.

For as long as the contraption works and remains useful, then for me it is still a good idea.

Lead by example, speak by deeds

The Church exhorts its flock to speak against extrajudicial killings related to the bloody war on drugs carried out by the present administration.

I believe however the Church can have more impact and be more effective if it leads by example and speak by deeds.

One thing it can do is to open its doors as a sanctuary for those seeking to escape the murderous claws of the drug executioners whoever they may be.

Another thing it can do is to lead in the creation and development of realistic rehabilitation programs that will help addicts seeking to reform and build a new life succeed in this effort.

There are many things that change. But one fact that does not change is that action speaks louder than words.

Solving the transport problem through people power

Transportation officials should not ignore the importance of walking as part of the solution to the traffic problem in our country.

It may not be evident, but every meter that can be taken away from the distance that people have to travel can significantly reduce the space needed for transportation vehicles on the road.

Thus together with the grand transportation projects such as trains and cable cars being considered, transportation officials should also create safe pedestrian corridors where people can walk.

Apart from pedestrian corridors, transport officials should also create bike lanes and a bike use program.

If there are these options for people to help themselves, I think many people will avail of this.