FARE HIKE EFFECTIVE MARCH 21,2012

Araguy! Common Juan and Maria would again feel the crunch of shelling out additional fifty centavos each way due to a provisional fare hike starting today, March 21, 2012. It will translate to P1 hike for two-way transportation of commuters to their workplace, school, home or other places of destination.

Public utility jeepneys (PUJs) operating in the National Capital Region and Regions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 will start charging P8.50 minimum fare to passengers today after Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) finally decided to reinstate the former minimum jeepney fare of P8.50 after weeks of public consultation and deliberation.

The LTFRB has allowed jeepney operators to charge an additional 50-centavo fare for the first four kilometers of travel without hiking the rate for the succeeding kilometers.

LTFRB clarified that the provisional 50-centavo jeepney fare increase will NOT cover the following:

• Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Region 1
• Region 5 
• Region 12

Transport operators in the above areas did not initiate any similar fare hike petition.

Reason for the fare hike: LTFRB has reached the decision after having seen that indeed there has been an increase in the cost of spare parts like tires, brake oils and other accessories, not to mention the rising cost of fuel, electricity and basic goods and services for the past four years of automotive spare parts and accessories, when minimum jeepney fare was pegged at P8.50 and not because of the militant transport operators’ threat to mobilize mass demonstrations, paralyze public transportation, and boycott the big oil companies if their petition for provisional fare increase is ignored.

According to Mar Roxas, the provisional fare increase may influence inflation but not significantly because it will not be heavy to shell out an additional P1 on one’s daily budget for a two-way transportation.

I beg to disagree sir. Common Juan and Maria will have to shell out triple that amount if they have to ride a trike to go to the main road, then transfer to a jeepney then another jeepney going to work. A three pesos (Php 3.00) additional burden everyday multiply by 30 days would translate to Php 90.00. A burdensome amount if you are the common Juan or Maria. And nothing for elite people who don't commute going to work.

I wish this government officials commute to work everyday so they will feel how it is to commute going to work and back.I also hope they earn the same salary as that of Juan and Maria, and let's hear them talk after they got this news.

McDonald's Eat-All-You-Can Promo March 26, 2012

 

Huurrrayyyy! Ronald McDonald has a big surprise for you!

 

It is now confirmed that this viral photo below from facebook is really true after all.

Certified foodies confirmed it and even posted the limited tickets for the Eat-All-You-Can promo happening only at McDonalds along Session Road, Baguio City on March 26, 2012.

 

 Plus, if you have no leftovers you get Php 50.00 refund subject to verification.

Some interesting McDonald's signage and buildings:

 

Switzerland

   Vigan, Ilocos Sur

My personal preference :

 French Fries

Chicken

 Chocolate Sundae :-)

Happy na ako sa tatlong yan! :-)

Ikaw? Among all the items in McDonald's menu alin ang gusto mong kasama sa Eat-All-You-Can Promo nila? 

WORLD POETRY DAY CELEBRATION- MARCH 21, 2012

Poets, patriots, readers, tomorrow March 21, 2012 is World Poetry Day! Why not drop by A WALK THROUGH WORDS AT THE GARDEN, a poetry reading event by Metro Serye in cooperation with the National Book Development Board - Philippines, Filipinas Heritage Library, Ayala Foundation, Flipreads, Logica, and MACEA. Join them in celebrating poetry! :)


Event: World Poetry Day Celebration
When: Tomorrow, March 21, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: at the Ayala Triangle Gardens.

People from Flipside Publishing will be there. It will be another great day for poem lovers.

WHY DO FILIPINOS GO GAGA OVER MAGNUM?

There's so much hype about this Magnum. A lot of people I know buy Magnum at every chance they get. Hey, Gunless Society of the Philippines don't look at me like that :-P! We're talking about Magnum Ice Cream here dear, not the gun, ha ha ha! Some of you might have thought that the Philippines had gone into war or civil unrest. Well, well, we're just dissecting how engrossed the Filipinos are right now with this so called Magnum ice cream.

Why do Filipinos go gaga over Magnum? I observed, read and look at every nook and corner of Facebook, Forums and Twitter so I would know the answer to this question. 

I learned, it is simply because a lot of Filipinos would like to be"IN" on what's hot this summer. Oo nga naman, in order for them to take part in every conversations, FB post, FB pose and tweet about MAGNUM's taste they needed to buy a Magnum Ice Cream and taste it themselves..

 

This is Ann Curtis instagram picture of Magnum on Twitter.

Magnum is an ice cream brand owned by the British/Dutch Unilever company, and sold as part of the Heartbrand line of products in most countries. It was originally made by Frisko in Aarhus, Denmark. The original 1987 Magnum (later rebranded as Magnum Classic) consisted of a thick bar of vanilla ice cream on a stick, covered with white or dark chocolate, with a weight of 86 grams (120 ml). In 1994, the company also started selling Magnum ice cream cones, and in 2002, an ice cream sandwich.

Magnum Ice cream has 4 flavors being offered in the Philippines.  

• MAGNUM Classic - Has thin coatings of bitter sweet, dark chocolate. 
• MAGNUM Truffles - Some find this outrageously Delicious. Why? Because it is said to have a velvety smooth vanilla ice cream inside covered in thick cracking Belgian chocolate outside.
• MAGNUM Almond - It is said to be made of milky chocolate, a little thicker than Magnum classic with almond bits. Almost the same taste as that of Cadbury Milk Chocolate. The vanilla ice cream has a smooth taste and taste like very smooth McDo sundae.
• Magnum Caramel flavor  - Some like Caramel. And said to favor this flavor more than the others.

 

Instagram pix by Goma ( Richard Gomez).

All my eyes can see is an ordinary ice cream but yummy according to a lot of Filipinos. Well I believe it is a little bit expensive. And I don't have a job. So that means I am not in :-( How can I tweet like crazy like them? My make-believe fame had all gone kaput when RFM-Selecta did not bother to invite me to their Magnum Ice Cream grand launching last March 14, 2012 at the Whitespace in Makati City. 

I could have rubbed elbows sana with Magnum Ice Cream's brand ambassadors Raymond Gutierrez, Liz Uy, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Erwan Heussaff, Rajo Laurel and Solenn Heussaff, and with the handful of celebrities who also turned up for the Magnum VIP Party, such as Kim Chiu, Diether Ocampo, Ruffa Gutierrez, Bianca Gonzalez, Andi Eigenmann, Maxene Magalona, Champ Lui Pio, Rufa Mae Quinto, Fabio Ide, Gino dela Peña, Mikael Daez, ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio, GMA CEO Felipe L. Gozon and a lot more.

 

Red Hot Car! Ferrari is it for Solenn Heussaff's ride.

Magnum is said to be surprisingly affordable in the Philippines. Priced at just P50 each in major supermarkets, it’s a guilt-free indulgence every Filipino pleasure-seeker can enjoy.

Magnum is said to be available for Php 60.00 at 7-Eleven stores, Php 55.00 at Mini Stop and  Php 50.00 at supermarkets. It is said to be available in different convenience stores, gasoline stations and sari-sari stores nationwide.

Anyway, the fourth flavor Magnum Caramel flavor is said to be available at S &R.

TOBLERONE GLOBAL PINOY AWARDS

TOBLERONE GLOBAL PINOY AWARDS

In the tradition of being the thank you and pasalubong chocolate of overseas Filipinos, Toblerone has initiated a TOBLERONE GLOBAL PINOY AWARDS project in order to give back, and give each and every Global Pinoy what they truly deserve- yes! A sweet thank you!

The Commission of Filipinos Overseas, Duty Free Philippines, and Kraft Asia paid tribute to the Global Pinoys who showed excellence not only in their careers but also in the initiatives to help their fellowmen in the country through the Thank You Global Pinoy Awards. 

The Thank You Global Pinoy Awards awarded the Ten (10) most outstanding global Filipino workers who deserve not only the gratitude of their loved ones, but also of the nation as a whole. It was primarily led by the Commission of Filipinos Overseas, the government agency tasked to promote and uphold the interests of Filipino emigrants and permanent residents abroad.

The online nominations ran from October 2011 to February 2012, and (10) Ten Outstanding overseas Filipino workers had been chosen and  announced during the Awards Night last March 15, 2012 at 7th High in Bonifacio High Street.

 

Seen: Edu Manzano with his Toblerone buddy:-)

 

For more pictures click here

FORT BONIFACIO UNDERGROUND TUNNEL OPENING SOON!

Hear ye! Hear ye! Mark your calendar on March 22, 2012. This will be the date that an underground war tunnel in Fort Bonifacio will be reopened to tourism as a tribute to the many unsung heroes in the military.

Upon the initiative of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) the underground war tunnel in Fort Bonifacio will be transform into a heritage site to honor the sacrifices of the country’s long line of soldiers.

The underground passageway is located at the eastern area of what is now called Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, which used to be part of the sprawling Army base.

The tunnel used to be the main attraction of the old Philippine Army museum and library, which have since been relocated with the conversion of a sizable portion of the military camp into a business and residential district.

The tunnel’s reopening was timely since the Philippine Army would be celebrating its 115th founding anniversary on March 22.

For more information click here.

Miss Universe-Japan finalist is Manileña

 

I don't know what is it with beauty contests that make us all wide-eyed. Maybe it is because each and every girl has this secret dream of becoming a beauty queen someday and the boys simply can't resist the beauties in parade. We are a country that look up to beauty queens more than  politicians. Reasons? Well answer it yourself :-P!  I know, you know why:-)

Meet Naomi S. Kida the first Japino to make it to the finals of Miss Universe-Japan. Born in Tondo, Manila, in June 1988. Naomi is the daughter of Cristina Rivera Santiaguel of Imus, Cavite and Masami Kida, president of a cement production company. She is said to be fluent in Japanese, English and Filipino, Naomi regularly visits the Philippines and stays in Almanza, Las Piñas, with her aunt.

Standing at 170 cm or 5’7” tall. Naomi is tall by Japanese and Philippine standards.  Her height served her well as a volleyball player in school and as a model.

She made it to the Top 5 of the beauty contest in Tokyo on June 17, 2011.

Her dream is to become a bridge between Japan and the Philippines.

How many contestants joined Miss Universe Japan? 

There were 15 finalists.  
 

What question did the judges ask you during the finals?

They asked me to describe “fortune” in my own words. My answer was,  “Fortune is making your own destiny through the choices you make.” I said that because of my own experiences, I am who I am now because of the choices I made in the past

 

Congratulations!

Source: Inquirer

NOYNOYING

Last March 15, 2012, youth-students who joined the nationwide people's protests against oil deregulation law, oil overpricing and oil-VAT demonstrated how President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino is reacting to people's problems. They called this demo as “Noynoying.” Instead of ‘planking,’ they do a little play-acting, or a parody, of “Noynoy” Aquino's inaction on people's pleas against the weekly oil price hikes.

“Guess what he’s doing there,” said Vencer Crisostomo, chairman of Anakbayan and emcee of the program held at the Elliptical road in Quezon City before the protesters drove a caravan to the oil companies’ head offices in Makati. Crisostomo pointed to a participating protester, who was seen lounging at the street, looking bored while chain-smoking.

Another student was on the phone for a long time. Another just sat there plainly doing nothing. In “Noynoying,” Anakbayan said some students will sit down in the middle of certain major roads in Metro Manila while adopting “the president’s trademark vacant stare.”

“And this one, what is she doing?” Crisostomo asked, putting the spotlight on another student who looks like she’s daydreaming. Protesters shouted: “Dreaming of Grace Lee?”

Crisostomo urged the leaders of people's organizations to also do a “Noynoying,” to which COURAGE chairman Ferdie Gaite and KMU chairman Bong Labog cooperated, to loud laughter among protesters, including from Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus.

The protesters generally criticized President Aquino for playing deaf and blind, for not acting on the consumers’ issues against the abuses of what they call as foreign oil cartel and for simply pretending like he is doing something when he is just coming out with stop-gap measures such as the derided Pantawid Pasada program.

The protesters demand the scrapping or reduction of VAT on oil, and the scrapping or suspension of Oil Deregulation Law.

Source: Bulatlat Text and photos by MARYA SALAMAT