Happy Landing, Roger Roger, Over

Let's go back to the Tacloban Airport for an interesting "phenomenon" hehe. Have you had a chance to hear how airplane pilots and those control tower folks talk to each other? In the movies, right? The radio communications system, right? With all those "roger roger, over  over" terminologies, right? Well, if you want to hear that, not in the movies but live, head to the Happy Landing Canteen at the DZR Airport in Tacloban!

Happy Landing is the middle of three eateries over at the far end of the airport's parking area vicinity near the communications tower. Yep, towards the entrance of that military (police?) camp. Their FM Radio is always on, and merrily blaring out the usual FM songs and jokes and... interference from the Tacloban Airport's communication tower. Many folks eating there and the eatery's crews do not at all mind, for they probably don't even know what the "phenomenon" is!

How did I know? Well, I was at the canteen, to have lunch. Just enough lazy time prior to check-in for my 330PM airbus flight to Cebu. A happy after-lunch hour, listening to the Tagalog speaking DJs of an FM station (I think it is a Manila-based FM radio being relayed in this place by their sister station). Suddenly, while a song was being played, I heard a voice that said "Tacloban, this is 660"! In the sound and tone of 'ham-radio'.

I stopped sipping my delectable "tinolang yellow fin tuna" and froze a bit there with the bewildered chinky eyes opened widest. Yep, that radio call came from the same speaker that was blaring the FM signal. Oh my geewheez! So I listened more intently, enough to recognize that the radio conversation overlapping with the FM radio music was between a Cebu Pacific flight ready to depart for Manila and Tacloban's control tower. Whoah! Flight 660 about to go! Whohoa indeed! I found that really cool hehe!

When a waitress came by, I pretended to 'not know' and asked what that conversation was that came with the radio music. Her casual reply was "ah, static ito sir"! That's how most Filipinos call "interference" btw - "static"!

Now what?

Ah well, for the mere roamer curious of everything like I am, this thing is one of many interesting encounters while traveling. Something unusual, therefore worth a note or two. But for the discerning citizen like the other "I am", that thing could pose a little issue. Doesn't that breach security or privacy of communications? This especially being an air-to-ground or vice versa type of info exchange? Let me NOT elaborate, but that little a thing called "static" by the waitress could actually prove to be a problem to some folks flying airplanes.

Proof? Here's a picture I saw while boarding my flight...

Do you recognize that 'other' plane in the background?

Here it is:

The color and the words "REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES" should tell you and me whose plane that is, right? And the general public at a restaurant can hear its pilot talking?

What dya think?

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How Expensive Is A Philippine Flag?

I once saw on TV a young man who was hounded (a.k.a. harassed) by his barangay captain for having taken a photo and shared to the world the sordid state of the Philippine Flag at their barangay hall. Of course I thought that woman (barangay captain) was wicked, even stupida to the nth degree. Kababaeng tao eh di marunung tumingin kung ano ang maganda sa kanyang kapaligiran! Nagalit pa :(

How much is one flag anyway? Is it expensive? Can a barangay not afford one? I suspect they all can. Even at one new flag every 6 months, right?

Well, if indeed that barangay is soooo dirt poor they can't afford to purchase a respectable looking flag for their barangay hall, here is one rural place where they probably can beg for one hahaha.

This is somewhere in Samar, along the Maharlika Highway, by the side of a forest, also on the side of a town called Paranas. Passed by this place many times in many years, and those flags lining the portion of the highway are always crisp colored and beautiful to look at.

Samar is considered one of the poorest islands in this country. Yet, this town (or is it barangay?) could afford a number of them flags – not even for a public office but just the side of a road. How much more those barangays in the metropolis? Sus naman, marami nyan sa Divisoria, di ba? I am inclined to 'guess', burara lang talaga yung Mrs. Barangay Kapitana!

Oh well... let her go to Paranas and probably beg for one of those beautiful Philippine Flags waving!

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What's He Doing?

No camera tricks, no digital manipulation. That picture is as it was taken. But can you guess what that man is doing? Do you see a broom? Do you see a rope or scaffolding? Why is he up there seemingly above the trees and the houses?

Scroll down to discover!




























































Hehe, this below, is actually the original picture. I just zoomed the portion where that young man was caught in mid-air jumping from the bridge unto the river.

But do you know where on earth this place is?

Oh yes, Catarman, Liloan, Cebu! Probably the cleanest body of water in a populous community I have so far seen in this country. And Liloan is a first class municipality at that - meaning "urbanized". And this place is even only a walk away from the Market, Municipal Hall, Church and gymnasium of the town. Yet, there are even resorts on both sides of the river, one with a very long zip line crossing to an islet!

Yep, I already jumped from that bridge in 2011 (or was that 2010 hehe)!

And I must say, the water remains as clean until today! It can 'still' be done after all folks. Liloan did it / does it! So let's keep our rivers clean and continue jumping off our bridges! It's more fun!

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Buko De Garapon

I have been meaning to drop by this place in Cebu for more than a year now. This is along Echavez St.. just a few steps from its corner with Mango Avenue (aka Gen Maxilom). I sometimes pass by the area and have been itching to get a closer look and learn any bit of information about the fresh buko juice being served in glass (and lately even plastic) jars instead of drinking glasses. Finally did so yesterday! And oh boy was I happy I did so!

Why the "garapon"?
That naturally was my first question and the husband-and-wife team selling these, gamely educated me. They told me that most commercially available drinking glasses are rather too small that each serving of the buko juice (and meat) would be "not enough" to many patrons. Okay fine, I loved that explanation. But the wife added that it is also an advantage using jars since these have lids/covers to protect the "concoction" from flies and other insects. PLUS, they can just cover and tighten the lids when no one is buying (yet) and store them inside styrofoam boxes with ice to chill them and keep 'fresh' longer!

I asked how come they now use a few plastic jars (similar in size) instead of glass jars. The husband told me that it is now at times difficult to find the glass jars since mayonnaise manufacturers have started using plastic jars. Mayonnaise?! So I looked closer (at the lids) and yeah, I saw that most of these jars come from the Kraft brand! I further asked where they source the empty jars whether glass or plastic. Wife said from restaurants and stores while husband added that at times they do buy from lamp-makers in Carbon and everywhere else these may be available. Lamp makers? Well yes, I now remember the "lampara" used in many rural areas and city shanties that don't have electricity!

That was it?
Well, I learned what I wanted to know! But since I was already there and savoring the "buko juice with meat", I lingered around to ask more questions and/or observe the activities. Here we go...

How is it made?
Simple, said the manong. Just chop the coconut to make a small whole, pour the coco-water into a pitcher, hack the now dewatered fruit into two, scrape the coco-meat and place in a separate container. Then, pour coco-water to the jars, place a few strips of the meat, twist cover with the lid, place inside the waiting styrofoam chest with ice to chill. When somebody buys, get an already chilled  jar, open the lid, pour a bit of milk, place a spoon, and serve!

Milk? Yep, they do add about a spoonful of milk. Evaporated milk that is. I asked why they don't use condensed milk and the manang said that would be too sweet to already overpower the real buko taste of the buko-water! There is sugar on the side anyway, she pointed, for patrons to scoop and stir into their drink if they want to. Ah, reason why there was a spoon served with my jar!

I noticed this, but I still asked "don't you add water"? And the husband said "no", continuing to clarify that this is why people like what they serve since it's pure coco-juice! [In my mind I said plus the milk and sugar]!

How much?
Each serving – a jarful of the coco-water with a few strips of the coco-meat is P25. Yep, twenty-five pesos. It's not that cheap a refreshment after all. Reason why most of those I see enjoying the drink are the working class or even older folks. Understandable, since grade school or even college students would find P25 too steep for a daily drink, right?!

How many jars per coconut?
The manong said they do not measure per fruit since they just pour the coco-juice unto the pitcher. Instead of asking more, I instead just watched them. I estimate that as about 4 to 5 jars of coco-juice per fruit. And about 8 to 10 jars of coco-meat per fruit. Not bad for a business ha?!

Does it sell well?
You can look at that pile of coconut husks. I asked how many days or months worth were all of those. They almost chorused with "2 weeks kapin" (about 2 weeks). Hmm, wow! Not bad at all! I don't want to estimate that anymore hehe! I just know that if you multiplied that pile by 24, then they could actually build a hill of coco-husks (with shell) in one year! Hey, we can call that a coco-hill!

I asked why they have to accumulate those instead of just giving to the trash trucks that roam the city everyday (or at least a day in a week). Hah, they told me that their silingan (neighbor) in Talamban comes to buy and haul them. Whoah! So I asked what the silingan does with them husks and shell. Hmm, I learned that those are dried under the sun and sold to restaurants as fuel to fire up their constantly cooking pots. Coco-husks and shells are purportedly more efficient than gas (and cheaper I'm sure). Their neighbor's big clients are the "litsonanan" (that means the litson makers)!

And a lola's voice came from behind me saying "besides, dili ma na dawaton sa basurero". So I went near her (in another table also selling the same products) to ask why. She told me that the trash trucks just don't get their husks saying "dili ma na basura". Duh!

This jolly Lola with a scattering of English words when she speaks was busy scraping coco-meat that comes out like strips the size of spaghetti strands. And she was putting them into a container that obviously belonged to two ladies waiting for her to finish. I knew what it was for (fruit salad) and said to the two ladies "wise kayo ha"? One of them smilingly said para wala na hasol ba! True!

Now now, do I think I wanna become a buko-vendor? I think I do!



ISSN 2516288.375-1723

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Not AN Accident?

This man smiled, even grinned when he caught me taking that picture from a jeep! He probably thought I was taking his photo hahaha! But my attention was on that wall. No no, not the political ad. Mary Ann is already well-known as she is, right?

That sign on the post struck me on two counts. 1) "is not A accident" sounds weird to me. I think I still remember something I learned in elementary school grammar – the use of "a" and "an" in a sentence – it's got something to do with the letters/syllables that follow, right? and 2) why the message? who is it for, who is it from?

By the manner it was printed, it does not seem this is just another of those (vandalism) expressions of young idiots who will soon grow to become adult idiots! Y'know, those 'cannot-do-anything-good' spray-paint-can-wielding boys? This does not look like their doing. I think this means something else.

And what is police violence in this place anyway? Maybe there had been violent shanty demolitions in the area? Probably.

I still wonder... but oh well, the signs of our times!



ISSN 2516288.375-1555

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