Manila City Hall

This is the view of Manila City Hall's tower and clock from the second floor of the legislative offices. I took the picture during a visit to a councilor friend friend.

The city hall looks great from the outside. But I really think that the current or future chief executive of the city must look into how the country's premiere city hall should be immediately renovated. 

City halls are historical features and as such it should highlight any city's past, present and future.

And if anyone will visit Manila City Hall, it would conjure a city with a proud past but it lacks a sense of modernity and especially a future.

Ang sama talaga ng kalagayan ng Manila City Hall. Period.

Dumaguete City Photo Walk

 

My work provides me the pleasure to travel and in a recent "mission" I was able to visit Siquijor Island and the gateway to the famous destination - Dumaguete City.

Saranggani jeepney

While visiting Saranggani, I got the chance of taking the photo above with magnificent blue sky backdrop.

Like other jeepneys in the Philippines, the jeepney version in Saranggani are colorful. The jeepneys are also longer compared to those plying in Metro Manila.

You can also see some of my photos on Saranggani Bay beach here.

Ubos na load ko - BC Bloggers meme

Like the majority of Filipinos living in Metro Manila, I use public utility vehicles to commute around the traffic-prone streets of the metropolis.

But a few months back, I got this idea to start a photo blog about commuting here in the Philippines. I titled the blog Jeepney Pixels, culled from the generic name of the vehicle which have transported millions of Filipinos for generations.

The idea was to capture images of the passengers and the jeepneys and other means of public transportation in the country.

Posted above is one of the photos I have taken during one of my rides. Please help me caption the photo as I am lost for words how to capture in words the emotion oozing from the eyes of the lady passenger.

Thanks.

Mystic Siquijor

I was invited recently to visit Siquijor Island to be part of a team tasked to train local leaders in political mobilization and communications.

Since it would be my first trip to the island famous for its rural legends like the manananggal and manggagamot, I consciously put any judgement about the island and its people prior to my visit, although I made a research about what Siquijor province and its six municipalities can offer a tourist cum trainer like me.

I discovered an island rich with the bounties of the seas and the mountains and a people with a history which they can be proud of.

Here are some of the photos I took while visiting the island.

Hong Kong Disneyland Parade

I recently traveled for a holiday in Hong Kong and like everyone else, I visited the Disneyland. 

The Disneyland Parade which I was able to video was great and I'd like to share the experience.

Enjoy!!!

Ang magbubuko

Foodie Pixels 2011 part IV

I love different kinds of food and one of them is pizza...

Foodie Pixels 2011 part 3

Fine dining moment...

foodie pixels 2011 part 2

Airport food...

foodie pixels 2011 part 1

I've already forgotten where I ate these food but looking at them always make me hungry...

Sultan Mastura

The sunset in Sultan Mastura is just awesome. 

Gen. Santos City to Lake Sebu

Travelling from Gen. Santos City to Lake Sebu is one experience I truly enjoyed. The roads are well paved, the views are magnificent and the people polite.

Smoking Jeepney driver

Kulang sa disiplina. Ito ang problema sa mga driver na Pinoy. Ang laki ng no-smoking sign sa likuran at sa windshield pero binabalewala naman. Adik ka mamang driver.

Quezon Memorial Circle is one good place to visit this time of the year especially at dusk.

The trees inside the sprawling public park created to honor Manuel Quezon provide shelter from the summer heat. Scientist said that the trees absorb the heat and cool the area, which if you are a runner is a great place to train.

Part of the attraction is the dancing water fountain located at the center of the park, inviting people to watch and chill the night away. 

By the way, I experimented with picmonkey.com, an online digital photo editing tool, to edit the pictures shown here. Enjoy.

Taal Volcano Island sojourn

A recent visit to the Taal Volcano Island reminded me of how beautiful the Philippines is with its natural beauty.

A glimpse of the volcano from Tagaytay City evokes unknown emotions but a personal visit to the island gave me a glimpse of how immense the volcano and how the lake surrounding it provides livelihood to the people of Cavite and Batangas.

There is of course the eco-friendly tourism using horses to navigate the stiff route going up the crater of the still active volcano.

The view from the top is mind boggling. From there you can see Mt. Makulot and other mountains of Batangas and Laguna. Looking at the awe-inspiring lake  that surrounds Taal Volcano  provokes one to think of the many instances we took for granted this natural beauty.

Looking down inside the crater lake from the viewing deck sent shivers down my spine. I don't know why, it must the height.

Above is the video I made from the photos I took during that recent memorable visit to the island.

Tayo na sa Antipolo...

Kung naghahanap ka ng puwedeng bisitahin dito sa Pilipinas bakit hindi mo subukan ang Antipolo. Hindi lamang sa makasaysayan nitong nakaraan kungdi dahil nakakaingganya itong bisitahin. Hindi kalayuan mula sa Kamaynilaan, katamtaman lang.

Isa sa puwedeng bisitahin ay ang simbahan ng Antipolo. Bagamat hindi ako relihiyoso, nag-enjoy ako sa magandang simbahan nito. Kahit tahasang nilalabanan ng simbahan ng Reproductive Health Bill, puwede pa ring bumisita rito ang mga sumusuporta sa RH.

food pixels

Foreigners are always fascinated at how much Filipinos can eat and how they love their food. There's food for breakfast, merienda, lunch, merienda, dinner and of course midnight snack.

And like any Filipinos, I have documented through several photos my own love for food.

The video above shows some of my favorite food. I love pasta and pizza plus an array of different tasty, colorful and delightful local food.

And as they say here in the Philippines, "Kain na."

#Sunset View (Antipolo)

I was at Antipolo City recently and took this pictures of the sunset. Was able to take some pictures using my Samsung phone then edited it with a software from Adobe. Hope you like it.

Cloud Pixels, Naia to South Cotabato Slideshow: Wala’s trip from Pasay City (near Makati, National Capital Region, Philippines) to 3 cities Cotabato City, Philippines (near Calapan, Luzon) and Laguna de Bay (near Los Banos) was created by TripAdvisor. See another Philippines slideshow. Create your own stunning free slideshow from your travel photos.

The trail

This is the trail going down to one of Lake Sebu's seven falls...the off-road is worth it...

Ang bulaklak

Mesmerizing flower of Lake Sebu...can't remember the name but the red petals provided a magnificent contrast among the greens...

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid

Taken during a recent visit at the heart of Moro Land in Cotabato City, the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid stands proud and majestic.

Taal Volcano sojourn

Visiting Taal Lake and trekking up to its crater is more than awesome. It was AWESOME! The experience was fulfilling and it gave me another reason to really feel how fortunate we Filipinos are with these kinds of natural sites.

Travelling from Tagaytay, I and a group of friends traveled down to Talisay to reach a small boat terminal where we boarded motorized bancas for the 30-minute adventure of negotiating Taal lake to reach the island.

Pagpupugay sa mangingisda ng Nasugbu

Nagawi ako kamakailan sa Nasugbu, Batangas at natiyempuhan ko ang pangingisda ng ilang kababayan doon.

Napakahirap palang mangisda.

Nagsimula kasing hilahin ng mga Batangueno ang lubid ng kanilang lambat mga alas-9 ng umaga at natapos sila halos mag-aalas-tres na ng hapon. At nang mahila ang lambat, nakakalunos na puro basura, strofoam, plastic at wala pang isang banyerang maliliit na isa ang nalambat.

May nakita akong tatlong malalaking isda, pero iyon lamang ang malalaki. Halos lahat ay kasing laki lamang ng aking mga daliri.

Hindi ko tuloy alam kung ako ay maaawa, magagalit o babalewalain ang aking nasaksihan. Upang kahit paano ay maibsan ang kahiwagahan ng aking naramdaman, minabuti kong gawain ang video na ito bilang pagpupugay sa mga mangingisda ng Nasugbu.

At upang ating lubusang maunawaan ang kalagayan ng ating mga mangingisda, bisitahin ang blog na ito http://monleg.blogspot.com/2011/11/mangingisda-nalulunod.html.

Quezon Memorial Circle

One of the most recognizable landmarks in the Philippines is the Quezon Memorial Circle. The Circle was actually built in homage to President Manuel L. Quezon, whose plan was actually to build national government offices in the city including the legislative and executive headquarters.

There was a moment in Philippine history when Quezon City was the capital of the Philippines. That idea is actually more practical than keeping Manila as the seat of power if you consider the infrastructure. Remember, Manila's streets were built for calesas by the Spanish colonizers while American city planners conceived Quezon City as the future Capital of the Philippines with wide roads for modern vehicles.

Now, QMC is a park for Quezon City dwellers to enjoy. But lately, even those from nearby cities like Manila, Pasig, Caloocan and even those from Bulacan and Rizal provinces are trooping to the park the different amenities it offers. Tanging mga vendors na may permit sa QC government ang makakapagbenta ng mga pagkain sa park.

Because of enhanced security, students can visit sans the hassle of being mugged. Pollution-free pa!!!

There are now two underground entrances to reach the park. One connects the Quezon City Hall to the QMC and other one, connects QMC to Philcoa. Guards are stationed in both entrances which are also utilized as mini photo exhibiti areas. And by the way, the whole park is smoke-free.

QMC is popular among lovers too.

Even senior citizens are enjoying the park now. Mayroon bang ganitong ibang lugar sa Metro Manila? Walang sinabi ang Maynila, na hindi kinayang buhayin ni dating Mayor Lito Atienza at kasalukuyang Mayor na si Gen. Alfredo Lim.

#Sunset sa Nasugbu

        

Here is my take on Nasugbu, a fishing town in Batangas. The Sunset is just as spectacular as its people.

Aso sa beach ng Nasugbu

Nagawi ako nitong nakaraang ilang araw sa Nasugbu. Natiyempuhan ko ang asong ito sa beach. Malamang ang sinasabi niya ay "Sarap maligo, pero malamig ang tubig. Bukas na lang."

"Ano problema mo. Bakit ang sama mo tumingin."

"Footprints on the beach..."

Slabs

The stairs going up to Philcoa exit of the Quezon Memorial 

Circle created a wall effect when shot diagonally. 

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid

During my recent sojourn in Moro land, particularly in Cotabato City, I had the chance of visiting the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid, which according to MindaNews is the grandest in the Philippines.

MindaNews added that "the grandeur of the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid (Muslim center of worship), which reportedly costs $48 million, dominates the landscape where the Mosque was built and backdropped by the Moro Gulf.

The news organization revealed that the construction of the Mosque was "Partly funded by Brunei and designed by the renowned Philippine architectural firm Palafox Associates, the mosque in Kalanganan Dos, some eight kilometers from the main road, is being constructed by the Manila-based New Kanlaon Construction, Inc." 

For those who are visiting the heart of Moro Land, this is a must-see place. Located just a few minutes from Cotabato City proper, the route going to the place is well paved.

Sunrise

Sunrise at the beach of Brgy. Sogod, Bacanay, Albay. 

Malolos-Meycauyan o Meycauyan-Plaridel?

Nagawi kamakailan sa Bulacan at napitikan ko ng ilang beses ang mga jeepney na bumibiyahe mula Mercauyan patungong Malolos at Plaridel. Narito ang ilang sa photos. Ang nasa itaas ay pa-Maalolos mula sa Meycauyan.

Sa bandang guiguinto kuha ang larawang ito na bumabaybay sa McArthur Highway. 

Pinitikan ko ng ilang shots ang mga jeepney habang nakaangkas sa tricycle.

Biyaheng Meycauyan ang jeep na ito.

Lomo effect para jeep na nakikipagkarera sa kotse.

Makulay kahit medyo luma ang mga jeep sa Bulacan.

Old picture effect sa jeep na umoberteyk sa kapwa jeep.