Manila

Bike Ride in Manila

November 16, 2016 by John Grant Leave a Comment

Bike Riding

Everybody knows the traffic in the Philippines is horrendous and very dangerous. The smoke, the undisciplined drivers, and even the traffic police stopping people for money. Manila is not a place to travel around unless you really have to.

For those that have to work in Manila the fumes will make you sick. Those that travel around on a bicycle are very prone to be hit, but they are also very likely to be able to whip around the polluted vehicles. But, what is it like to ride around on a bike in Manila?

1. Safety gears – Helmets are mandatory. Gloves, meanwhile, ease the chafing between your palms and the handlebar and therefore are useful. But eyewear is also important. Remember to keep your eyes protected against dust and smoke–two things that bikers normally contend with aside from vehicles and pedestrians. An addition to this point is mask, which protects your precious respiratory system from the pollution.
2. Quick-dry clothing and towel – Offices, particularly in business districts such as Makati, Ortigas, Global City, etc., do not normally have provisions or facilities to dry your clothes. Thus, it is necessary for employees to be smart about dealing with their damp, sweaty clothes. Bike jerseys or any type of sportswear made of polyester or Supplex nylon are helpful in this case. Meanwhile, quick-dry towels, which are usually much smaller and more handy, should be a better option than regular cotton-made towels.
3. Water-proof backpack (or rain covers) – Particularly in the rainy months of June to November, water-proofing is essential in keeping your belongings dry. There are water-proof backpacks available in the market. But if you do not want to shell out money for a new item, you can get a rain cover from outdoor or sports stores. These range from 150-300 pesos.
4. Kapote (Raincoat) – I think umbrellas are overrated. They render your one hand useless. Raincoats, alternatively, allow free use of your two hands, useful especially when biking.

5. Head and tail light – It is not so much about you being able to see where you’re going when it’s dark. Head and tail lights are more practical in making you visible to those around you.
6. Bell – One way for a biker to be safe on the road is to be noticeable–both through sight and sound. A bell definitely works to call attention to yourself.
7. Bike lock – If you can afford it, invest in a good set of bike lock–one that is fool-proof. Cheap bike locks get rusty over time. They are also easy to cut using heavy-duty bolt cutters. Some bikers use a set of three bike locks to secure all components of their bicycle.
8. Parking space – One of the most important elements on this list. Before setting out on your daily commute adventure, determine first where and how you are going to park your bike. More forward-thinking office buildings have space allotments for bicycles. For the unfortunate ones who would have to park outside their buildings, make sure that your bike parking is well-lit and well-guarded. But you do not want to leave the security of your prized possession on the hands of others.
9. Community – There are things that you have to get ready for as a bike commuter, which has its fundamental difference against weekend biking. Get tips and advice from those who are already in this form of commute. Talk to your friends who are doing it. The web, particularly forums such as the aforementioned pinoymtbiker.org, is considerably helpful when you need answers related to biking. Community also refers to how you treat those around you–drivers, pedestrians, other cyclists. Show courtesy on the road. Obey traffic rules. Respect right of way.

Horse and Cart in Manila

September 23, 2015 by John Grant Leave a Comment

The streets of Manila are clogged most of the time with illegal drivers, illegal vehicles all poisoning the atmosphere for every person in the City.

It is not fun trying to get around Manila, and it is just part of Manila’s woes. You have the car, the jeepney and the bus and in and around Intramorous you have the horse and cab.

These horse and cabs are leftovers from a time when it was a delight to be moved around the great architecture of Manila on open roads without the need of masks. Now, they are only used by a few tourists. The horse and cart are known as Kalesa’s, which is a Tagalog word and there are several spelling versions of the word too.

The price of a horse and carriage ride around Manila depends on factors like:

(a) your destination / attractions you want to cover,
(b) how many stops you want to make along the way, and
(c) whether you are hiring an independent calesa driver or a travel agency.

Cost of Hiring Independent Horse Carriage Divers

As a rule, a Manila carriage ride costs PhP 300 for two people for 30 minutes. That’s $8 or £5. The more stops you make, the longer the ride will take and the more you have to pay. It’s important that you understand this to avoid disappointment.

You can decide what destinations you want to cover. A ride around Intramuros is particularly eye-opening; it starts and ends at the Manila Cathedral and will cover all the important historic attractions in old Manila. It is possible to see Intramuros and surrounds in 30 minutes if you don’t stop for photos; otherwise, expect the ride to last an hour and the price to double. Drivers might quote you a slightly higher price if you are a foreigner. Feel free to haggle down to the ‘local price’ of PhP 300; they will eventually give in.

The issue I have is that the horse looks like it is about to keel over and die. Thin and harrassed and walking all day through Manila pollution carrying heavy foriegners is something I cannot get my head around. The horses are not well fed or looked after. There is no money to do that and there is no enforcement to do that.

On the hand, once your driver gets you to Intramorous and the traffic drops there is something very wonderful about moving pass Spanish style houes and hearing the clipping of hoofs. You get taken back to a time long ago- only for a few minutes though.

The Kalesa’s future has always been in survival mode. It has faced threats to its survival due to modern and faster modes of transportation in the Philippines. But with growing economic and environmental concerns, it may the right time for the Kalesa to make a comeback and regain its former stature as the Philippines’ King of the Road.

Philippine life and culture will never be the same without the Kalesa. It is part of Philippine history and its importance can never be ignored. Despite the challenges of modernization, the Kalesa will always provide a unique mode of transport that is environmentally friendly.

More importantly, with the rising cost of imported oil, it is time that the Kalesa is given serious consideration as the Philippines’ primary means of transportation.

Manila Horse and Cart

Taxi Hell in the Philippines

June 13, 2015 by John Grant Leave a Comment

The taxi drivers of the Philippines are underpaid work hours that is impossible to keep them and their passengers safe and they are liable to be robbed and confronted by criminals.

Places like Davao who have a very strong Mayor have taxi drivers who are very efficient and honest.

The only issue I had in Davao over six years was not having change for the driver and on two occasions the driver would allow short pay rather than to upset passengers. Now, that is not the normal thing in the Philippines. The taxi drivers of the Philippines are underpaid work hours that is impossible to keep them and their passengers safe and they are liable to be robbed and confronted by criminals.

The taxi drivers of the Philippines are underpaid work hours that is impossible to keep them and their passengers safe and they are liable to be robbed and confronted by criminals. The truth is that most in Manila will want to fleece you with brutal intent as soon as they see a foreign face, especially if that face is at the airport waiting to be used. Taxi drivers tell YOU where they are going and will TELL you the far. Some refuse take you if you want it on the meter, some have meters that run at supersonic speed and some have meters that appear not to work. There is no shame and they wont get embarrassed if you challenge them

I have had to open a taxi door in transit to get out of a taxi who was taking me somewhere I did not want to go. I have refused to leave taxis when a driver wants a huge price. Mostly I now use the taxi apps and even some of those will inflate price when they arrive-and not all arrive.

Here are some other comments trolled from the internet on the good old taxi driver in the Philippines.

While we were along Katipunan Avenue en route to Boni Serrano Extension, I saw him getting something from his right pocket and then sprayed it in the cab’s aircondition. It smelled like powder to me. I thought it was just nothing, so I didn’t mind him. He did this several times while looking at me in the rearview mirror. I caught him several times looking at me. It felt like he was waiting for something to happen to me. I was weirded out by what he was doing so I texted my mom the cab’s name and plate number (LADY ALLEN NYT618). I do not usually do this when I take the cab in the morning; I just do this at night. Being a constant victim of heartless and rude cab drivers, I familiarized myself with the different modi operandi used by cab drivers to catch their preys. Unfortunately for me, this was one of them.

I tried sniffing to see if I would feel something weird. I thought I was just being paranoid. The driver repeatedly sprayed while watching me in his rearview mirror. When we finally got to Boni Serrano, nearing Santolan, the scent got stronger and stronger. It was hurting my nose and head so much that it was already making me dizzy and shaky. When I started shaking, I told the driver immediately to pull over because I will go down. He did not dare say a word and stopped the cab. I did not start any argument. In my mind, I needed to get out of the cab and save myself from a possible holdup, or worse, rape. I was shaking so bad that I could not even hold my money properly. They all fell from my wallet. It started raining hard that moment I stepped out of hell. The moment I got out of it, I called my mom and told her what happened. I asked her to pick me up.
Read more at http://www.wheninmanila.com/a-warning-to-all-who-ride-cabs-in-manila-philippines/#cSaYWJAg5q5vHpdB.99

This happened last Sunday at NAIA. This cabbie was one of those airport cabbies that had a fixed rate. At first I was hesitant taking the airport cab because the fixed rate would be 700. It was getting late so I said fxxk it, might as well get the cab, at least it was a fixed rate. Now I don’t normally like chatty cab drivers because I just want to sit in silence and look out the window but I was bored and decided to ask about how bad the weather got when Mario hit. The cabbie talked about how he had a 2k fare just because of the flood and then it segued into how incompetent our government is and then into city planning and life in Saudi when he was an OFW. You would think that this is the normal rant about government incompetency but god damn. After a while this motherfucker was spurting out world history, sure there was a couple of conspiracy theories here and there but damn, this was the smartest cabbie I have ever met. We talked about how the country got so fucked up, how America is a giant war profiteer and he rambled on about world history. We finally reached my house and I swear to god, I didn’t leave the cab for a good 10 minutes because we had that much fun in our little debate. Anyway, I said my goodbyes and thanked him for the lift and the wonderful talk. When I entered my room, I suddenly realized I didn’t catch the smart manong driver’s name. I don’t know if you would call this weird but it’s really peculiar for me to see an educated cab driver, Most of the cab drivers I personally knew were high school drop outs and a bunch of philistines but that cabbie who picked me up last Sunday gave me one of the most mentally invigorating conversation I had ever experienced. Kudos to you manong! I’m sorry I never asked for your name.

When you get in a taxi, take a picture of the information and (on the sly) the taxi driver. That is good protection. A taxi driver can get his driver’s license suspended for two months for refusing to take you (and on the meter) somewhere.

Bus Fun in Philippines

April 25, 2015 by John Grant Leave a Comment

Of course, the chickens will be drained out by the distorted TV

Buses are by far the cheapest ways to travel distances around the Philippines, but can be difficult if you are a solo passenger as not everyone will understand your strange English accent. Mostly, people just say yes to you no matter what question you ask. That is just the way it is here.

So you managed to find the point of origin and you turn up with cases or bags and most probably many helpful porters will scratch at your bags and offer to carry them. Sometimes the grabbing can be scary, so be prepared to hold on tight. I am not saying there is a thief around, just that the few yards carried is going to cost you money.

Grabbing a seat is the next fun. Some of the provincial buses have chickens and Durian as passengers. So be prepared for the smell and the noise. Of course, the chickens will be drained out by the distorted TV sound across all shaking speakers. If you are really lucky it will be in screaming Tagalog and full of over deep emotional over acting. Don’t worry it only lasts two hours or so.

Now most buses let you pay for the ticket on the bus. Here you wait until the conductor arrives and asks you your destinations and hands you a ticket with lots of holes in it and walks off. After an amount of time, he will return and ask for the money and will always say he has no change and will have it later. That later could be an hour or more. Be prepared to remind him just in case. I once had the conductor change and the new conductor had no change for me- strange that.

Now settle down and enjoy the trip. In and around Manila the buses are getting much better with air con and comfortable seats. Make sure you stay awake though, as many vendors selling the same thing will ask you again and again and again. No matter if the vendor in front heard you say no, the other five behind him will push you to say yes.

Henry Bateman writes: Although being the backbone of Manila’s public transport system, jeepneys traverse a pre-determined route of 10 to 15 kms. This means to get across town you will need an intricate knowledge of Metro Manila geography to negotiate the 3 to 5 rides required. An alternative, if you are headed for a popular destination is to catch a bus. Buses in the Philippines come in two varieties, ordinary and airconditioned.

Ordinary buses are very ordinary. The glass in the windows has either departed for a life of luxury in more hospitable surroundings or is locked in place from years of inaction. Although the seating is across the vehicle rather than running down the sides, it is of the bench variety and, more often than not, unpadded. As most buses ply the major thoroughfares, the exhaust fumes from other road users are an added extra. The ordinary bus is a couple of pesos cheaper than its up-market cousin, the aircon bus.

An aircon bus will have its windows in place plus padded seating — three on one side of the aisle, two on the other. “Fresh” air will be pumped at you from adjustable, little vents in the overhead luggage rack and sometimes they are actually adjustable. On most aircon buses there will be curtains on the windows which are very handy at high noon. If you want to watch the passing parade, push them to one side and peer through a couple of week’s accumulated grit. Aircon buses also have a “video on board,” a selling point proudly announced above the windscreen.

Suburban buses don’t run to a time table they just ply back and forth along their route. Buses to the provinces do depart at predetermined times from their terminus and it is wise to check the times with your chosen carrier of which there are many.

All buses have a conductor who collects the fares, which are determined on the distance you are traveling. You will be issued with a paper ticket which either looks like a chook raffle stub or one printed with an intricate series of little boxes into which the conductor will punch an array of holes. The reading of these tickets is a science in itself.

The conductor also touts loudly for potential customers at designated stops or at pedestrians who are looking in his direction. A customer is a customer; one getting off is making room for another to get on. Consequently, a bus will stop to set down or pick up a passenger anywhere along its route.

To hail a bus, as with jeepneys, attract the attention of either the driver or the conductor of your chosen carrier. This can be determined by the destination notice hanging on the windscreen, from the shouts of the conductor or the sign in his hand. Along the way, street sellers will board to hawk their wares of snacks, drinks and trinkets before getting off the next time the bus stops.

On provincial buses it’s not advisable to sit too close to the front unless you’re a seasoned traveler. On a trip back from the province of Nueva Ecija I noticed a fellow Kano (foreigner) seated right behind the driver. When we stopped for a comfort rest halfway through the journey his knuckles were white. He swore we had spent at least a third of the trip on the wrong side of the road.

Even if you’re not in the city, fear not, provincial buses like their suburban counterparts will pick up passengers along the way. When all the seats are full, little stools appear so customers can sit in the isle.

There is always room for one more.

Henry Bateman is an Australian artist and freelance writer living in the Philippines. His writing has been published in the Expat Travel and Lifestyle Magazine, the Expat Newspaper and the Western Review. He blogs at The Expat, which is not updated as often as it should be

PAL to UK

December 5, 2014 by John Grant Leave a Comment

Manila to London

The PAL Airlines was allowed to reinstate direct flight from Manila to UK in late 2013. This followed many years of being banned from 2010 and its safety ratings were downgraded by the US Federal Aviation Authority, from a category 2 to a category 1, in 2008.

In lifting the ban, the EU transport commissioner decided that the airlines had shown a “commitment and capacity” to implementing international safety standards in a “sustainable manner”, Reuters reported. This was an important announcement as many carriers had pulled out of direct flights from UK to Manila following arguments about Manila airport costs and services. Of course less planes from Europe means less holidaymakers and does nothing to assist tourism in the Philippines. Not everyone can get on a plane for a few hours like those from Australia. The Philippines really needed to get Europe travelers,but at points in the past greed made it unprofitable for many European carriers to come to the UK. The likes of KLF, Lufthansa, Quantas and British Airways all pulled out of the route.

PAL travels several times a week and although the Economy has no private entertainment systems it does have leg room for us over 5ft 5″.

I flew recently and the number of passengers accounted for less than a third of capacity allowing me to stretch across three seats and sleep and snore like a baby. The question is why are people not filling these flight?

Here are a couple of reviews I have found online.

PR721, London to Manila, 25 October, PR720 Manila to London, 12 November. A340-300 both ways. 2 hours late laving Heathrow but we arrived in Manila on time. The flight was only about 65% full and my son and I were lucky as we had all 4 seats in the middle section to ourselves. Seat recline seemed limited. The A340 is clearly an older plane – no seat back videos but passengers are issued with iPads for the duration of the flight which are pre- loaded with games and films. The staff were friendly and helpful. The catering was fine – 2 full meals and a snack. Getting to Manila non stop is a real selling point for PAL. Return – big plus point is that PAL uses Terminal 2 at NAIA which is a dream compared to Terminal 1. Again half empty flight and I had 4 seats to myself! Again, 2 meals and a snack. Staff were good, no complaints. I was a bit wary before I travelled as I had read some poor reviews of the PAL flight from London and I had always used Emirates / Cathay / Singapore / Thai before. The lack of seatback videos is solved by the iPads. The staff didn’t come round with water that much. So long as the price is right, I would certainly use PAL again.

I flew from Manila to Heathrow on a 777, my return was on an old Airbus A340. To say the airbus was substandard would be an understatement, in an age of carriers using modern up to date planes, this was a great disappointment. London is a prime capital city. To look to increase passengers especially from the west you really have to up your game. There is no personal screen (the replacement was a small iPad to use which meant holding it while viewing it, not easy hour after hour on a long haul flight), my fold down table was broken, the seat was really uncomfortable, the toilets were not kept clean. I have flown China Southern and even this carrier had a better plane. I am not in a position to use business class but still expect a certain amount of service for my ticket money.

Davao Airport was the Start

July 14, 2014 by John Grant Leave a Comment

Davao airport is OK, its normally efficient and reasonable, and there are coffee shops before you go through to the gate that are perfectly OK. I was told that a new coffee shop opened past the gate, so I felt I would give it a chance. When I went in there it was well laid out, very bright, and so clogged up in smoke, that I doubt I would have seen the sandwich let alone taste it. So, about turn and off to another coffee shop past the gates, this was NO SMOKING, so I was already pleased.

I went to the counter and a young lady chewing gum played a new game with me. From the huge menu I managed to chose everything that was not available, even managed to get told four times that coffee was not available, but if my finger crossed to the next line on the menu it was available. Myself and my friend Steve just started to laugh at the absurdness of it, but the lady kept going, still chewing gum, and finally we managed to order a coffee and an ice tea and toast and something. I say “something” as we both just left it on the plate. As we left, we noticed many other people pushing the “food” around the plate with a confused look.

Sitting at the gate we watched our plane change gates, then we boarded and had a form of “LOTTO” game on board, before landing at Manila, and feeling a little hungry we decide to cross the road to get a McDonald’s, we had to walk halfway around the perimeter of the airport, as the stairs to the road were closed, and the bridge across the road only went half way.

After being fed and watered we had to get a taxi to New Manila, and that became the Manila curse, as the first one wanted a figure equal to me buying his taxi, the second wanted slightly lower, but when I disagreed he suddenly had no idea where New Manila was. After getting in and out of two Taxis and being brushed off by another two, we finally had a driver who must have been the greatest taxi driver in Manila, as he went down so many side roads, we arrived in good time, and gave him a good tip.

A few days later myself and a friend were going to Baguio, so we decided to get up at 5.30 to get the 7am bus. Well we finally managed to get up at 6am, rushed out and knowing the bus station was only ten minutes away we tried to hail a taxi. Twenty minutes later we were still there, but no problem we still had time. Eventually we got a taxi, twenty minutes to go, so we would still be OK to get the bus.

The taxi dropped us at the Victory coach station and drove off, yes it was Victory Liner station, but the coaches were asleep, as this was NOT the terminal, just the maintenance depot.

So we had to get a motor cycle to the real station, still with time to spare, we purchased the tickets ready to board the bus. The bus had gone, it was still not 7am, around 6.50, the bus went because the clock on the bus station wall was was wrong, but never mind that’s the time he was going by.