Tuesday, November 19, 2002
ABDUL IN MANILA
The Heraldo Filipino on a Grand Research Mission in the Metro
The most extraordinary experience I've had in Metro Manila took place last Sunday, November 17. It was just awesome how I got to feel the city for once by exploring places I've never been to. It's like The Amazing Race but not exactly that much running.
I was lazy to attend, but I had already sacrificed not spending time with birthday celebrant Karl from the dorms who had reserved a room at Island Cove for a night of drinking and partying. I also didn't want to attend because I was having complications shifting my clothes and bags from our house in Tanza to Dasmariñas. But I still knew I had to go, so I went for it.
SM City Bacoor at 0800 hours and I first encounter Angelo, also from Tanza and a photojournalist for the HF. We waited for a while in front of the main entrance which was open for a mass,
then he decided we wait at the other entrance, which faces the highway. So we proceeded there to meet with Paul, Jhecc, Winnie, and a few others.
Barely anyone was showing up, none of the Editorial Board had arrived.
After the departure was originally set to be around 0800 hours, we only started forming before the mall opened around 1000 hours. Kuya Marthy finally arrived and with him were only ten other people consisting of photographers, writers, and art staffers... mostly fellow apprentices.
Since the purpose of this trip was to research in the city for the La Salleño this December, I won't be providing too many details here (due respect that this is the first time I'm using the internet at the Heraldo Filipino office and I feel like this PC could go any time some important article needs to be printed or edited...)
Three teams formed. TEAM INTRAMUROS were Kuya Marthy, Eric Salta, Winnie, and Oliver. TEAM COASTAL were Marvin, Roy, Joanne, and Angelo. And the smallest team was TEAM RECTO consisting of photographer Jhecc, Apprentice Feature Writer Paul, and myself.
TEAM COASTAL stayed at Coastal Mall where we enjoyed a McDonalds Brunch. TEAM INTRAMUROS and TEAM RECTO proceeded into the Walled City. We joined TEAM INTRAMUROS to give them manpower I guess. Our "boss", Kuya Marthy, brought us into the streets of the Walled City. I passed by San Augustine Church, the one I visited back in my 2nd Year Field Trip in High School.
The three of us in TEAM RECTO were told to disperse around 1400 hours and we headed for RECTO. I was introduced into the street lifestyle of this place, fake diploma-makers, second-hand book sellers, and several other stores throughout the University Belt area. Again I'll reserve the details to respect the researching Jhecc, Paul, and I did for the next issue of the La Salleño.
After RECTO we proceeded to DIVISORIA. My first time there! And the weather went from sunny to worse... to rain and lots of it. Imagine this place when it's raining and there were so many people. Physical contact to the person in front of you, behind you, and the ones' side to side moving against you. I lost Jhecc and Paul for about 3 minutes and I stood there wondering where the hell do I go to avoid the rain because all the shelters were loaded with people.
The conclusion of the DIVISORIA episode of last Sunday ended in sunshine as we headed into QUIAPO. This place was also awesome. Honestly, I felt it to be more developed compared to the markets of DIVISORIA. Virgin Mary statues and Religious figures, herbs, side by side with stalls of Pornographic material. We passed by Quiapo Church and I'll try to add that into my articles.
After Quiapo, we were told to meet with TEAM INTRAMUROS at Robinsons' Ermita. We proceeded there and passed by La Salle Manila, the Taft area. In Ermita we ate at Cinnabon's, and it was my treat to boost morale in our little group of three who I believe probably had a little more of the dirty work with all these marketplaces compared to the TEAM INTRAMUROS visiting of Ayala, Glorietta, and the like.
I treated all of us to five Cinnamon sticks which costs P60, then when I ordered one Iced Tea the price went up to P110! A P50 Iced Tea?!
I bought my Swimming Trunks at the Robinsons' Department Store in Ermita, and Moonstar 88 were performing I believe down the stairs. We found out that the other teams won't be going to Robinsons Ermita and instead they'd be at Glorietta. I could tell someone in the group was pissed off but couldn't express it, what a memory.
We found ourselves a few minutes later watching the sunset of Manila Bay. Jhecc took pictures, Paul conducted an interview of a bystander, and I gathered experience and absorbed it for portions of a future article. This would be how it would go. A good team I guess. We all had jobs, we were a unit... TEAM RECTO! The other teams also had their share of course, but I don't know how they did it exactly.
We proceeded to Malate and there we went around for a while exploring the place. Not much to interview. From happy familes to something you'll soon find out in the next La Salleño, amidst the splashing of the water fountains. We walked a lot in the dark alleys of this place, which was scary but memorable, and once again something new to experience.
We were told by Oliver (TEAM INTRAMUROS) to proceed to Star City at 2000 hours. We were at Malate around 1900 hours already so we waited there. We proceeded to Star City and found out through the cellphone by Oliver and Winnie (TEAM INTRAMUROS) that they were at Coastal Mall already (final destination prior to returning to Cavite). Confused as we were, we felt late for everything. It was 2030 hours and the time to be at Coastal Mall was around this time. We felt confused! We were told to go to Star City, so we walked from Harrison Plaza in the dark and under the street lights and across a few streets and across the dark lawns of the CCP Complex to find out we had to go to Coastal Mall "Now na".
I told them we need to get a Taxi Cab immedietly to make sure we'd reach it in time. I managed to convince them and in no-time we were walking across the street and entering the Coastal Mall area. Joanne (TEAM COASTAL) was with her father inside McDo, it was around 2040 hours. That's when we found out that TEAM INTRAMUROS, who told us to go to Coastal Mall "Now Na" were actually at Star City all this time.
It was frustrating, but like I always say in this entry... it was an experience.
It was a very enjoyable trip, and I'm sorry I couldn't make it detailed... it's just it'll be in the HF.
The Heraldo Filipino on a Grand Research Mission in the Metro
The most extraordinary experience I've had in Metro Manila took place last Sunday, November 17. It was just awesome how I got to feel the city for once by exploring places I've never been to. It's like The Amazing Race but not exactly that much running.
I was lazy to attend, but I had already sacrificed not spending time with birthday celebrant Karl from the dorms who had reserved a room at Island Cove for a night of drinking and partying. I also didn't want to attend because I was having complications shifting my clothes and bags from our house in Tanza to Dasmariñas. But I still knew I had to go, so I went for it.
SM City Bacoor at 0800 hours and I first encounter Angelo, also from Tanza and a photojournalist for the HF. We waited for a while in front of the main entrance which was open for a mass,
then he decided we wait at the other entrance, which faces the highway. So we proceeded there to meet with Paul, Jhecc, Winnie, and a few others.
Barely anyone was showing up, none of the Editorial Board had arrived.
After the departure was originally set to be around 0800 hours, we only started forming before the mall opened around 1000 hours. Kuya Marthy finally arrived and with him were only ten other people consisting of photographers, writers, and art staffers... mostly fellow apprentices.
Since the purpose of this trip was to research in the city for the La Salleño this December, I won't be providing too many details here (due respect that this is the first time I'm using the internet at the Heraldo Filipino office and I feel like this PC could go any time some important article needs to be printed or edited...)
Three teams formed. TEAM INTRAMUROS were Kuya Marthy, Eric Salta, Winnie, and Oliver. TEAM COASTAL were Marvin, Roy, Joanne, and Angelo. And the smallest team was TEAM RECTO consisting of photographer Jhecc, Apprentice Feature Writer Paul, and myself.
TEAM COASTAL stayed at Coastal Mall where we enjoyed a McDonalds Brunch. TEAM INTRAMUROS and TEAM RECTO proceeded into the Walled City. We joined TEAM INTRAMUROS to give them manpower I guess. Our "boss", Kuya Marthy, brought us into the streets of the Walled City. I passed by San Augustine Church, the one I visited back in my 2nd Year Field Trip in High School.
The three of us in TEAM RECTO were told to disperse around 1400 hours and we headed for RECTO. I was introduced into the street lifestyle of this place, fake diploma-makers, second-hand book sellers, and several other stores throughout the University Belt area. Again I'll reserve the details to respect the researching Jhecc, Paul, and I did for the next issue of the La Salleño.
After RECTO we proceeded to DIVISORIA. My first time there! And the weather went from sunny to worse... to rain and lots of it. Imagine this place when it's raining and there were so many people. Physical contact to the person in front of you, behind you, and the ones' side to side moving against you. I lost Jhecc and Paul for about 3 minutes and I stood there wondering where the hell do I go to avoid the rain because all the shelters were loaded with people.
The conclusion of the DIVISORIA episode of last Sunday ended in sunshine as we headed into QUIAPO. This place was also awesome. Honestly, I felt it to be more developed compared to the markets of DIVISORIA. Virgin Mary statues and Religious figures, herbs, side by side with stalls of Pornographic material. We passed by Quiapo Church and I'll try to add that into my articles.
After Quiapo, we were told to meet with TEAM INTRAMUROS at Robinsons' Ermita. We proceeded there and passed by La Salle Manila, the Taft area. In Ermita we ate at Cinnabon's, and it was my treat to boost morale in our little group of three who I believe probably had a little more of the dirty work with all these marketplaces compared to the TEAM INTRAMUROS visiting of Ayala, Glorietta, and the like.
I treated all of us to five Cinnamon sticks which costs P60, then when I ordered one Iced Tea the price went up to P110! A P50 Iced Tea?!
I bought my Swimming Trunks at the Robinsons' Department Store in Ermita, and Moonstar 88 were performing I believe down the stairs. We found out that the other teams won't be going to Robinsons Ermita and instead they'd be at Glorietta. I could tell someone in the group was pissed off but couldn't express it, what a memory.
We found ourselves a few minutes later watching the sunset of Manila Bay. Jhecc took pictures, Paul conducted an interview of a bystander, and I gathered experience and absorbed it for portions of a future article. This would be how it would go. A good team I guess. We all had jobs, we were a unit... TEAM RECTO! The other teams also had their share of course, but I don't know how they did it exactly.
We proceeded to Malate and there we went around for a while exploring the place. Not much to interview. From happy familes to something you'll soon find out in the next La Salleño, amidst the splashing of the water fountains. We walked a lot in the dark alleys of this place, which was scary but memorable, and once again something new to experience.
We were told by Oliver (TEAM INTRAMUROS) to proceed to Star City at 2000 hours. We were at Malate around 1900 hours already so we waited there. We proceeded to Star City and found out through the cellphone by Oliver and Winnie (TEAM INTRAMUROS) that they were at Coastal Mall already (final destination prior to returning to Cavite). Confused as we were, we felt late for everything. It was 2030 hours and the time to be at Coastal Mall was around this time. We felt confused! We were told to go to Star City, so we walked from Harrison Plaza in the dark and under the street lights and across a few streets and across the dark lawns of the CCP Complex to find out we had to go to Coastal Mall "Now na".
I told them we need to get a Taxi Cab immedietly to make sure we'd reach it in time. I managed to convince them and in no-time we were walking across the street and entering the Coastal Mall area. Joanne (TEAM COASTAL) was with her father inside McDo, it was around 2040 hours. That's when we found out that TEAM INTRAMUROS, who told us to go to Coastal Mall "Now Na" were actually at Star City all this time.
It was frustrating, but like I always say in this entry... it was an experience.
It was a very enjoyable trip, and I'm sorry I couldn't make it detailed... it's just it'll be in the HF.
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