blagSaSapot - Ideas and more

On the prowl

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Last night as I walk from the office to Crossing along Shaw Boulevard, I was invited to a "business seminar" in a tall building (DispoPhil building?) across Astoria Plaza in J. Escriva Drive.

As I walked past Red Ribbon in the corner of J. Escriva and Shaw, I was greeted by an Asian woman claiming that she is a Chinese individual and is not really good in speaking English. She asked me if I wanted to make some money and learn business. I politely told her that I am earning enough and am not in any urgent need for money (fingers crossed). She asked me if I can accompany her to a meeting in the above-mentioned building since she is not well versed in English. I told her I had to meet someone and that I am running late (for the benefit of my wife, I was not meeting anyone).

We parted ways and I was off to Crossing.

Along the way, I spotted similar-looking individuals in their 40s talking to random individuals or writing down something on pieces of paper (maybe a phone number or a way to explain things). I saw some go with the Oriental-looking individuals to the direction where the building is located.

I saw some more inside Shangri-La Mall and on the other side of Shaw Boulevard around Central Mall.

What could they be up to? Will those who were enticed to join find a better way to earn a living or will they fall victim to something bad? I guess I will never know. :(

Final Destination

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 14:11:00 +0000

Are movies representative of the society it portrays? Does tell us the strengths and weaknesses of a people? If it does, then we have a lot to learn about safety when we watch the latest "Final Destination" film.

In the movie, there were various scenes that exhibit carelessness that could have been avoided. The spectacles with magnifying lens that lit the saw dust in the movie theatre is one. The rocks that were rolled on by the lawn mower is another. Then there is the spitting can that shorted a motor at a garage. And finally the unbalanced scaffold that brought the ending to a bone-crunching close.

Is it their destiny to have died that way? Or could it have been prevented if only safety precautions were put in place?

I cannot remember the scenes in the previous movies but were those carelessness placed in the script to make the dying happen? Or was it placed there to say "you people are careless. Watch what happens if you are not careful."

Who knows?

Voter registration

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:43:00 +0000

Voter registration finally closed last night at midnight. Many missed the deadline and are once more deprived of their right to choose the country's next leaders.

This past week, I heard calls from citizens to extend voter registration. There were also complaints about a lack of system in the registration process and the time it takes for each voter to be registered.

Voter registration began in December 2008 and is set to end last 31 October 2009. In the week of October 26-31, old and new voters rushed to registration centers put up by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Long lines formed and impatience heightened.

This was not the case when I went to register sometime in September, during a holiday weekday. When me and my son (both first time voters) got to the registration center at the Pateros Municipal Hall, we are the only clients they have. We filled up forms, presented our IDs, had our photo, finger print, and signatures recorded, and received our claiming stub for our voter's ID. It took us almost 30 minutes and a leisurely pace at that.

As we are about to leave, another father and son tandem came in. It was a slow day. And I believe the days were even slower before that.

Television channels were peppered with advertisements from COMELEC urging everyone to register and yet we took our time and many of us waited for the last minute.

I heard one first time voter said: "this is disappointing. how can I be registered if the process is slow and that they do not have a proper system implemented?"

To be fair, she may have just turned of legal age on the week of the deadline. But if she was of legal age way before that, it is indeed disappointing. Disappointing that she took too long to decide when to register.

Another person in the line was asked why he only went to register now, he replied: "I had work to do." Is there no work to do on the day he decided to fall in line to register?

We Filipinos generally wait until the last minute before we act and just blame someone else for our failures. When will we ever learn that the "last minute" is always crowded?

We all know that 5:00pm is the start of the rush hours and that the streets and public transports are crowded so we either leave earlier or later. We wait in the office to allow the volume to lighten or go out somewhere to while away the time.

Why can't we apply that to other activities like registering to vote? Why can't we go to register earlier? COMELEC centers are open on Saturdays and Holidays. Is it because we have picnics planned during those times? Or is it because we do not value our right to vote?

It is easier to blame somebody else than to remind ourselves what we should do.

One's self is always our toughest opponent.

I used to say that the reason why I did not register to vote is so that I will not be part of the blame for voting someone into position.

Now my reason for registering is that my vote may be a "swing vote" that will have my candidate elected.

Since my candidate decided not to run anymore, what is left for me is to exercise my obligation to cast my choice for our next leaders.

Door-to-door delivery

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:10:00 +0000

Some young guys in our area got the idea of using a banca to transport residents and guests in our flooded subdivision.

The heavy rains brought by typhoon Ondoy over the weekend inundated Metro Manila including are floodable residence in Pateros.

Some friends of my son got the idea of ferrying people from the "banks" near the highway to their residences. This included guests to came to visit their friends and relatives not knowing the place is flooded.

I'll bet FedEx and LBC can't beat that!

Pinoy against the foreigners

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:17:00 +0000

Filipinos and Americans (or maybe Europeans) have greatly differ in their observance of traffic signs.

Crossing the road on my way home, I usually use the pedestrian lanes because it is for pedestrians. In there, a person should feel safe from speed maniacs. Drivers are expected to give way to pedestrians (within a reasonable time) when they cross the street using the pedestrian crossing. And one Caucasian driving a silver Toyota observed this. He stopped, waited for us to cross before proceeding. If it were a fellow Pinoy (most but not all), you, the pedestrian, would have waited for him, the driver of an expensive car, to pass before crossing.

For educated drivers who practice what they have learned, a pedestrian crossing tells him/her to give people ample time to cross the street before proceeding. For some educated drivers who forget their lessons after they get their licenses and most self-educated driver, a pedestrian lane represents an obstacle where you need to align your wheels between the white lines and cross it without letting your tires touch the paint.

This event reminds me of a joke about how Filipinos and foreign tourists view the traffic light.

For foreigners, green means go, yellow means slow down, and red means stop.

For Pinoys, green means go, yellow means go faster, and red means go for it!

My green eyed wife

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:32:00 +0000

I met her about less than seven years ago. What caught my attention is her smile and simple tastes. She has a jolly predisposition and there is an aura of childishness in her. That's why she never looks her age.

As soft-spoken and as simple as she is, she carries within herself a jealous bull. Even more fierce than the Incredible Hulk!

Maybe it's our age gap? Or probably my ethnicity -- Ilonggos are inherently sweet, loving, and caring. Or is it my presumed "good looks" that makes her think that I am a lady's man? Or maybe my way with girls (huh!? do I even have one?).

One time I had my hair cut too close we refer to it as semi-kalbo (semi bald). I told her that that cut seem to attract attention from girls. I said that they either think I look good or I look hideous. Our son told us that the almost-bald-cut releases my animalistic side that girls seem to like. He added a roar with matching clawing gesture. I never got to have that haircut again.

She get's conscious when I receive messages from female friends or co-workers late in the evening. She even reprimands by usual sweet "hellow" when I pick up the phone. She didn't even like my "halu."

Once she told me that if she can have me miniaturized, she'll keep me in her pocket. I felt like living in a traditional society where men, instead of women, are hidden from the public once they are attached! Now I know how it is like for the women in that kind society. I have nothing against it, of course (the traditions, I mean). Here is a photo shoot we had showing just that!

We discuss these issues and have settled some concerns. There may be more. Some even got out of hand. And I do not want a repeat of any of those.

The Crow

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Early Tuesday morning at the Baguio Teachers' Camp while doing some "breathing exercises" in the balcony of the cottage we are using, I heard bird noises. The bird noises did not bother me at all.

After a while, I came to realize that the bird noises sounded familiar. As familiar as the common bird sounds in my favorite animes: Naruto Shippuuden and Bleach. The sound of crows.

I found the crows in some trees on the slope below the balcony. There were about seven of them.

When I was about to get a picture of the crows perched on the trees, they seem to have sensed my phone camera that they all flew away.

The next thought that came to mind is the movie "The Crow" where presence of crows signal a nearing death. The movie suggests that crows come to accompany souls to their destinations.

Could it be a bad omen? Hmmm... I just don't know.

Girls love basketball?

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:52:00 +0000

This afternoon, we visited the Sisters of Mary Girlstown in Silang, Cavite where my boss was guest to the mass birthday celebration for "Fr. Al's children."

One thing my colleagues noticed was the presence of numerous basketball courts in an all girls school.

There are about 16 courts in all. Eight are on the open area and another eight in the covered gym (where the photo was taken from).

The school is managed by the order of the Sisters of Mary. The girls who study here are in their high school and they stay within the large compound.

Funding come from donations all over the globe. There are several branches of the school around the country one of which is in Sta. Mesa, Manila and another in Cebu.

The event that day is a celebration funded by the alumni for their schoolmates. Many of those who finished in this school are successful professionals here and abroad. Most, if not all (I am not sure), of the faculty are graduates of the Sisters of Mary System.

The 19th batch of the Silang campus graduated in December last year. That's right, their classes end in December

I met one of our former UPROTC Ranger Company cadets there. He is an alumnus of the all male branch a few kilometers away. He is now based in Laguna

It's a two way street

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:23:00 +0000

You walk along the curb wide enough for two people. You meet chance upon two people going the opposite direction. Do they give way or do they assume you will step aside?

Only a handful will be courteous enough to walk behind his/her companion so you will not bump into each other.

Most of them will squeeze in with their companions and give you half of "your share of the path."

Some will totally ignore you hoping you will step aside. And if you do bump into them, a few others will get upset as if they own the streets.

If you are someone popular, these "most, some and few" will gladly step aside with a smile hoping to be recognised and earn the bragging rights of meeting somebody important.

This is the reality in my country. Almost everybody only care about those who they can benefit from.

They care for those who are famous. They care for those who can contribute to their recognition. They care for those who can give them back something bigger than their own.

So what do I do? I bump on to those inconsiderate (beep!). Pain is such a good teacher. More pain leads to a clearer perception on things.

Paalam Tita Cory

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:04:00 +0000

It's been a long journey for a symbol of democracy, service, and unselfishness.

Paalam Tita Cory.

May you rest in peace.

Tight security at Makati malls

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:17:00 +0000

Just this morning I went with my family to hear mass at the Greenbelt chapel. On entering Greenbelt 3, our bags and waists were checked by security guards. Maybe not my wife's waist because there was only one male guard at the entrance.

After that, we went to eat at the National Sports Grill. After lunch, we parted ways - me doing some office work at Seattle's Best Cafe in Glorietta and my wife and son window shopping for a new ballcap and belt at Landmark. I caught up with them at Landmark a couple of hours later.

Before entering Landmark, I was checked by a male guard running his handheld metal detector over my bag and feeling the small of my back. One could actually conceal a weapon tucked in the pants waist covered by a back held close to your belly.

After buying a pail and a belt, we went looking for light colored trousers for my Monday uniform. Having found none in Landmark, we crossed the enclosed bridge to Glorietta then to SM Makati. We were checked before entering Glorietta and then again at the doors of SM Makati by different sets of guard.

All in all, from entering Greenbelt 3 to crossing to Landmark to transferring to SM Makati, we were checked frice (as one funny email went when referring to a fourth instance)!

I can understand the transition from Greenbelt to Landmark since the overhead walkway traversing Greenbelt and Landmark is also used by people coming from the heart of Makati.

But the transfer from Landmark to Glorietta to SM Makati via elevated enclosed bridges is much different. There is no way I can see someone using that bridge without being checked at the ground floor entances. So why the multiple inspections?

One reason might be that they want to visually assure each shopper or passerby that they are safe.

Or the managers of one mall do not trust the security arrangements of the other that they want to make sure that people from adjoining malls are not carrying any deadly weapon.

Whichever of the two reasons they may have is beyond my knowledge. What do you think?

Remembering Tita Cory

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:51:00 +0000

I was born at the height of the Martial Law in the Philippines. During the snap elections held in the early 80's, I was rooting for the then President Ferdinand Marcos. Being young that I was, I always took the side of the incumbent. I never knew about the martial law atrocities then. My consciousness revolved within my town and school.

During the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, I stayed at home not know what is happening around the country. I did not even notice that there already was a change in leadership.

My television viewing was limited to cartoons, the occasional television series showing women in bikinis, and good old Filipino movies. I got to read about Tita Cory's presidency in my grandfather's (God, rest his soul) monthly supply of Free Press.

I got to know more about Marcos in one edition of Playboy I stole from a hidden bookshelf.

Tita Cory's term faced many coup attempts mostly led by a former ally, the aide of then Minister of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Col. Gringo Honasan. I even saw a picture of Noynoy brandishing a submachine gun while escorting his mother. Kris was far from my recognition that time until she came out in one of the Hong Kong action films I watched when I was in high school.

In one occasion, I heard about rumors that during one coup d'etat, President Aquino hid underneath her bed. This was denied by the President. She even showed her presidential bed to the media. She raised the bed sheet showing the solid block of wood underneath as opposed to the usual construct of beds raised from the floor by four legs.

I think I heard or read her say "how can I get under the bed?"

After her term ended, Tita Cory quietly turned over the position to her successor Fidel V. Ramos.

In my memory, she remained unattached from the government until Erap was elected president and controversies about the new head of state came out.

In all those years, Tita Cory remained as a beacon for democracy among Filipinos.

Yellow has remained a color associated with the people's will.

With her joining our Maker, she will be able to watch over here beloved countrymen beside God.

Our condolences to her family and our prayers that she receive everlasting peace.

She did her part.

We still have to do ours.

For dreams stronger than death.

Flooding in Pateros

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:14:00 +0000

Three hours of sporadic rains inundated the streets of Sto. Rosario Subdivision in Pateros. This even if a nearby creek two streets over is deeper than a regular man.

And it is still raining up to now

Pantherhouse PG-13

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Saw this photo while doing some research on the web.

WARNING: Parental Guidance needed

It's one hell of a creative shot that was part of the entries on this site.

Visit the homepage of the site here.

Interview

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:41:00 +0000

I hope GMA News does not mind me embedding this on my blog. :)

This page requires a higher version browser
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

I was interviewed by Ms. Mariz Umali this afternoon on safety of food kids eat in school.

Nobody else took the interview. And I was the unfortunate candidate.

Life's choices

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:46:00 +0000

It is said that our destinies have already been written. Others argue that our destiny depends on our choices.

Both, I believe, are true.

Imagine our destinies to be highways that start from one point and lead to different places. The point of origin is our birth. The end points are our possible fates. Our decisions are changes in the routes that we take.

From that time until were are able to make small decisions for ourselves, like to eat the cookie or not, our paths are influenced by those around us. If represented by a highway, these are paths that follow the shape of the land -- winding roads, zigzagging roads, and those that follow the river.

Later on, we begin to make bigger decisions based on how we are influenced by our parents. And a parent's influence to its child is strong. This can be represented by forks on the road that split the journey based on land masses and bodies of water.

As we grow older, the decisions we make become more complicated and can be compared to streets with growing number of intersections.

And so it is written...

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:15:00 +0000

Happy New Year to all bloggers and blog readers!

Nationalism in shirts

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:23:00 +0000

I have been noticing for sometime now the emergence of t-shirts with nationalistic designs. Shirts with the 8-rayed sun and three stars, representations of the Philippine flag, and even artistic portraits of national heroes.

When we went to attend a wedding in Jala-jala, Rizal last Saturday, we passed through Tanay town to change rides (I do not know of any direct rides from Metro Manila to Jala-jala). On our way home, we took some time to visit the local tiangge for some post-Christmas shopping. I can't help but notice the various displays of shirts with sun and star designs. Some even have "I'm proud to be Pinoy" in-scripted in the front of the shirt.

So I thought, is this a drive to raise the nationalistic spirit of the Filipino or is this a post Manny Pacquiao-Oscar dela Hoya sale? I got a chance to peek at one of the shirts with what looks like Manny Pacquiao printed on it with a "Kaya ng Pinoy" superimposed on the lower part of the image.

Whether it is for Manny or for the country in general, these shirts are coming out everywhere. I am guessing that one of these days, these shirt designs will have a new addition on them. The face of a presidential candidate now that the 2010 presidential election looms in the horizon.

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:21:00 +0000

Merry Christmas to all bloggers and blog readers!

System loss charge

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:13:00 +0000

This is an analysis of the TV commercial made for Meralco with Judy Ann Santos (who i first knew as Ula, ang batang gubat) on the system loss charge.

This post is in no way is being used against Meralco, Ms. Santos, or the ad agency. It merely analyzes the presentation of their point regarding system loss.

Here's how I see this production and expense happens. Electricity is produced by the power plants. They spend for that production and sell it to distributors. Distributors like Meralco pay the marked up value of the power and sells it to users. Users then pay for the marked up cost of electricity.

In the commercial, Judy Ann explains that system loss is similar to ice losing its solidity. If you purchase a bag of ice from a store and carry it home, some get lost as it melts. They say that in the same manner, system loss is the weakening of the strength of purchased electricity as it is transmitted from the independent power producers to your home.

After some thought, I realized that they missed something in the commercial.

The melting ice is paid for and turns to liquid after the purchase during the transit from store to home. And the buyer pays for this loss in terms of reduced coldness. The loss is that of the buyer and not of the vendor since the merchandise has been paid for.

Now, if you relate this to electrical consumption, system loss is not the loss of the user but the distributor or power producer.

I think they should come up with a better presentation.

Latin prayer

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:05:00 +0000

I heard mass with my wife this evening and towards the end, the priest prayed in Latin as a closing prayer. Suddenly, I realized, I did not understand a single word he said except that I need to join the crowd in saying "amen."

On our way out, I wondered, did anybody else understand that closing prayer? I think not.

My grandmother prays in Latin during prayer evening when we were young. Of course she understood what she was praying (I assumed), but our generation (at least for mine and my siblings' part) we never did.

So why do priests these days pray Latin when they should know that not all the churchgoers understand any word they say? Is it to impress us that they know Latin? Or is Latin the only language understood in heaven?

All priests learn Latin while in the seminary. I know because I once was to be a seminarian. Unfortunately, the presence of beautiful girls in the seminary ground during family Sundays is nothing compared to the presence of beautiful girls in UP High School in Iloilo everyday. So I gave up my dream to become a priest by foregoing my slot in St. Vincent's Seminary.

After all the years in the seminary, seminarians, or the priests themselves, become well versed in Latin. It is the language used in writings from Rome after all. To better comprehend books in priesthood, seminarians need to learn the language used in writing those books.

But I doubt that Latin is the official language in heaven. Jesus, after all, spoke Aramaic growing up.

On another note, why else would God make the Apostles speak in tongues when Latin is the official language in heaven?

You see, the events following the construction of the Tower of Babel made possible the differing languages of man. Man tried to build a tower that will reach to the heavens so they can be in the same level as God. Angry at man for being too ambitious, God made man speak in tongues and the 'language barrier' ensured the failure of the construction of the Tower of Babel.

So, by giving the Apostles capacity to speak in the language of other men, God made it easier to spread his word amongst peoples. This, to me, proves that we need not pray in Latin to be heard by God.

In closing, I suggest that Roman Catholic priests save the Latin prayers for high mass and speak the language understood by the least educated churchgoer during Sunday celebrations.

Benefits of hand washing

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:40:00 +0000

I was able to witness a hand washing event last month.

Present during the event were representatives from the UNICEF and the Departments of Health and Education.

The education agency was represented by no other than its Secretary, Honorable Datu Dr. Jesli A. Lapus.

Kids from the Fort Bonifacio Elementary School were taught how to properly wash their hands. It is said that hand washing can effectively prevent the occurrence of the five most common diseases that cause children to miss school.

A healthy child is a happy child. A healthy child is always in school. A happy child enjoys learning.

It goes around

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:49:00 +0000

I came to a conclusion when I read the banner at a local church stating how a religious group of women condemns the controversial Reproductive Health Bill.

A few days ago, I have read in a local paper that the bill is gaining popular support from various groups including some religious ones. Later on, I have read that some government leaders are unwilling to support the bill.

Today, I realized that this is what will happen to the issue:

there is a pattern to this particular issue.

1. The members of Congress comes up with a plan to help solve national concerns, in this case the reproductive health bill as a way to help manage population growth.
2. Organizations begin to oppose the plan (e.g. saying that the bill is anti-life).
3. The plan (or the bill) gets shelved. As an effect of the shelving of the RH bill, people, mindless of what they do, continue to contribute to the growing number of Filipinos.
4. Since most of those who have more than enough children seem to come from middle to lower income groups, these kids and their families need to rely on government support for education, health, and employment.
5. Now enter the organizations. They implement programs to help the above-mentioned families have decent education, health care, and employment.
6. As the population continuously grow, both the government and the organizations get their hands full.
7. The organizations begin to blame the government for lack of support.
8. The government once again thinks of ways to solve the problem and comes up with a plan.
9. Continued on item number 2.

I think this cycle can be applied to almost all problems and solutions faced by governments worldwide.

I do not say we let the government just implement anything they want to do.

As a person, we should have a deeper understanding of the issues and see further than what is shoved in our faces. We may lack the capacity to do it but we can start by discussing those concerns that affect our lives. And we should discuss them with open minds, weighing each side, and coming up with informed decisions.

If we can come up with unique names for our kids, why can't we form our own opinions?

If you just go with what is the popular decision then you are like a lemming - you jump off the cliff because that is what everybody is doing.

Education News - Chinese lessons

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:02:00 +0000

I was once asked to prepare a press release on the use of Mandarin in the public school system. This was posted January 30 of this year. Here is the article I wrote:

Public school students say Ni Hao Ma!

Filipino students may soon have access to free Mandarin lessons – one of the most widely-spoken languages of business.

Members of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industries Incorporated (FFCCCI) and representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) recently visited the Department of Education to propose teaching Mandarin in public schools.

The Volunteer Program for International Chinese Teachers managed by the MOE’s Office of Chinese Language Council International will send language instructors every year to the Philippines.

“We may offer it (language class) as an elective in high performing schools,” Lapus said. “This will help broaden our children’s understanding of China and its culture.”

Other foreign languages taught in schools today are Spanish and French. English, on the other hand, is being used as a medium of instruction and is one of the core subjects in basic education.

According to MOE representatives, they presently have over 100 Chinese-language teachers in Filipino-Chinese schools in the cities of Bacolod, Iloilo, Tarlac, Cebu, Davao, and Quezon. The delegation is set to provide DepEd with a complete list of their deployment in the country.

The language instruction is planned for implementation when public high schools open this June.

FFCCCII is a strong supporter of DepEd in improving the quality of education in the public school system. To date, FFCCCII has constructed 2,503 classrooms nationwide through DepEd’s Adopt-a-School Program.

China is a historical partner of the Philippines with deep social, economic and ethnic ties dating back to the 10th century.

END

NAIA 3

noreply@blogger.com (K) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:23:00 +0000

I have read in the Philippine Star a comic depicting a NAIA official and an Igorot tribal priest in front of a rubble of fallen ceiling parts. The NAIA official is facilitating a ritual to rid the airport of evil spirits. The priest said to the official: "it is not bad spirits, just bad construction."

On my way to Cebu City last week, I came to see for the first time NAIA Terminal 3.

It is has a large check in area for Cebu Pacific and some Air Philippines flights.

There are numerous check-in counters in the lobby of the domestic flights side that cater to the travelers of the two airlines.

Each side of the check-in area has guide lines for the passenger queue.

After traversing the queue and paying for your terminal fee, you are going to face the long walk to the farthest gate - which is the gate given to us bound for Cebu.

There is, of course, a travelator for the passengers. The bad thing is that it only takes you through about 25 meters of the way to the farthest gate.

Fortunately for us, no ceiling collapsed at the time we were there. It collapsed on the day we were to return. :)