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Month: June 2010

Lokohan ng Airport yellow taxi

Published by Ellen on June 26, 2010

Update: MIAA GM Melvin Matibag informed me today (June 27) that the driver was apprehended and is being investigated. He said the driver will be banned from the airport.

Dumating ako noong Biyernes galing Zamboanga mga 5:30 ng hapon sakay ng Philippine Airlines.

Katulad ng dati kung gawi, dumeretso ako sa pilahan ng Yellow Taxi. Walang pila. Dadalawa lang kaming pasahero ang nandoon.Sianbi ko sa taong naglilista ang aking pangalan at ang aking destinasyon: Las Pinas. Binigyan niya ako ng parang tiket at tinulungan ako ng isa nilang empleyado papunta sa nakapilang taxi.

Kaya ako sumasakay sa Yellow taxi dahil gumagamit sila ng metro. May mga airport taxi na fixed rate, mas mahal.
Medyo mataas ang flag down ng Yellow Taxi. P70 pesos yata. Okay lang sa akin yan kaysa pupunta pa ako sa malayo at makipagtawaran pa sa mga colorum na taxi. Grabe magtaga ang mga colorum taxi doon sa airport.

Continue readingLokohan ng Airport yellow taxi

Jessie

Published by Ellen on June 25, 2010

Jessie in a safehouse, taken last March
Centerlaw’s Harry Roque said the death of Suwaib Uphamb, one of the gunmen in the November 23 carnage who wanted to be a key witness but was turned away by the government, should bear on the conscience of outgoing justice Secretary Alberto Agra.

Uphamb, whom media christened “Jessie,” was killed last June 14 in Parang, Maguindanao.

“I put the blame for his death to Acting Secretary Agra and his principal, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who refused to accord any protection to Jessie. There is blood in Agra and Mrs. Arroyo’s hands. May they forever by hunted by the souls of Jessie and the rest of the victims of the massacre,” the straight talking Roque said.

Roque has every right to be outraged. He was the one who sought protection for Jessie at the DOJ.

Continue readingJessie

Honorable exit for Romulo on July 1

Published by Ellen on June 22, 2010

President-elect Benigno Aquino III’s appointment of Human Rights Commissioner Leila de Lima as justice secretary is an inspired choice.

Foreign Service officers are hoping and praying that it would be the same case for the secretary of foreign affairs. Romulo has been a disaster as foreign secretary the past six years and it would be a tragedy to let him stay even for a day once Gloria Arroyo is out of Malacañang.

By the nature of their work, diplomats do not engage in protest actions. They are supposedly the epitome of tact, discretion and subtlety. But concerned about persistent talks that the incompetent foreign secretary, Alberto Romulo, would be retained, the Union of Foreign Service Officers headed by Vicky Bataclan yesterday came out with an open letter to the president-elect telling him of their sentiments about Romulo.

Continue readingHonorable exit for Romulo on July 1

Malaria no more: two Filipino students need your vote

Published by Ellen on June 22, 2010

Two Filipino students are among the six finalists in the essay writing division organized by Novartis and Malaria No More.
Now those two Filipino students, Jennel Cheng of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Maria Masa of the University of the Philippines ,need your vote.

Please click to http://worldbriefing.org/vote/ and cast your vote for them. Do it now because the deadline is June 25, 2010.

Participants to the contest “The World Briefing: Telling the Malaria Story Contest”, were graduate students from the United States, Argentina, Ecuador, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Venezuela, and the Philippines.

Organized by Novartis and Malaria No More, a non-governmental organization committed to ending malaria deaths in Africa, The contest aims to spread the word about the prevention and treatment of malaria, and help build the coalition to ease the global malaria burden.

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Wanted: safe airport with enough toilets

Published by Ellen on June 20, 2010

I can imagine the stress and the emotions that were caused by the cancellation of 50 domestic and international flights last Saturday due to the breakdown an antiquated navigational equipment at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Reports said NAIA’s Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio Range (VOR) — a device that directs aircrafts to the runway especially when there is poor visibility – broke down which caused Cebu Pacific several of its flights. Same thing with Dragon Air and Zest Air.

Philippine Air lines diverted the landing of three of their flights at the height of heavy rains when visibility became zero.

Flights have resumed although the VOR is still being repaired. Quoting a technical assistant of Alfonso Cusi, who is now head of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and is the one in charge of the VOR, said they borrowed the equipment at the Subic International Airport.

Atty. Melvin Matibag, the new general manager of the Manila International Airport, said the VOR is just one of the navigational equipments and airport operations can continue without it. In fact he said, Cebu Pacific had resumed flights Sunday even if the VOR is still being repaired.

Continue readingWanted: safe airport with enough toilets