Tag Archives: Manila

Law Enforcement

TWO- FOR-ONE VEHICLE LICENSE PLATES UNVEILED

Leave a comment

imageManila, Philippines — It is definitely more fun in the Philippines – exactly as the Department of Tourism advertising mantra says – not only because Filipinos think up of the smartest and sometimes stupid things, but get away with it.

In a surprise move, the country’s Department of Motor Vehicles has actually adopted what was once a smart yet illegal activity, as an official policy.  Effective July 15, 2013, the Department will be issuing two-for-one vehicle licenses whereby citizens or businesses owning two or more vehicles can purchase identical license plates for the price of one. This new policy is expected to solve the problem of many vehicle owners not obtaining the proper license plates because the cost and fees are too expensive.

The new policy is expected to put the Department of Motor Vehicles at odds with the Metro Manila Development Authority, particularly with the latter’s “coding” program.  Under this coding system, motor vehicles whose license plates ending with an odd or even number are prohibited from the streets and highways of Metro Manila on specified days and times of the week. For example, vehicles wth license plates ending in 1 are prohibited on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  Vehicles with license plates ending in 2 are prohibited on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  The system has been in effect for many years as a way to solve the traffic gridlock that’s been the hallmark of Metro Manila’s roadways.

Asked for his reaction to the two-for-once license plates, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who as president of the Philippines was impeached and convicted for corruption, said “I don’t care either way. I am exempted from the coding rules and I always have police car escorts wherever I go so traffic is not a problem for  me.”

Already, some enterprising Filipinos are planning to buy the two-for-one license plates and sell the other for half the price.

Business, Politics

PHILIPPINE BEER COMPANY TO BUILD AND MANAGE NEW TOLL ROAD IN MANILA

1 Comment

san migManila, Philippines – Southeast Asia’s largest publicly listed food, beverage and packaging company,  San Miguel Corporation,  is slated in January to start  construction work on a  Fifteen Billion Peso toll road that would connect Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport to existing expressways in the metropolis.  The project , when completed, is expected to greatly ease traffic gridlock which is an everyday occurrence  leading to and from the airport. It will also serve as a short cut to the gambling casinos along Manila Bay.

This project is part of  President Noynoy Aquino Administration’s public-private partnership, where public projects such as these are funded wholly, or in part, by private corporations, with strings attached of course.

Established in 1890 as a brewery, San Miguel Corporation has some 17,000 employees in over 100 major facilities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It carries many brand names in the Philippine food and beverage industry, including San Miguel Pale Pilsen, Ginebra San Miguel, Monterey, Magnolia, and Purefoods. San Miguel Beer is one of the largest selling beers and among the top ten selling beer brands in the world.express

Return on Investment

As part of the signed agreement, San Miguel Corporation will invest P11 Billion in the project.  The company’s return on investment will come when it starts collecting toll along the completed sky way. It wasn’t clear whether any portion of the toll fees will go to the government.

Almost Botched

Informed sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said that there was one major roadblock to the signing of the agreement. San Miguel Corporation wanted to sell its premiere product, San Miguel Beer, at the toll booths leading up to the expressway.  Initially, the Aquino Administration objected to the idea because this would be in violation of the country’s DUI regulations.  After weeks of negotiation, however, the Aquino Administration relented, on the condition that only San Miguel Lite Beer, not the regular beer, will be sold at the toll booths.  The government also sought a concession from San Miguel Corporation which agreed to share 10% of all beer sales at the toll booths with the government.

International

FILIPINOS DECRY: “WE WERE ROBBED (AGAIN) OF THE NO. 1 SPOT!”

Leave a comment

jeepManila, Philippines – When Miss Philippines Janine Tugonon lost the 2012 Miss Universe crown to Miss U.S.A. Olivia Culpo,  two million Filipinos took to the streets of Manila to protest what they claimed to be unfair judging by the international panel of judges. “Our Miss Philippines was clearly the winner,” proclaimed Elias Batongbakal, one of the protest organizers. “Janine not only showed her amazing poise and beauty.  She also answered the final question with great intelligence and confidence — none of those ‘major, major’ stuff.”  Batongbakal was obviously referring to another Miss Philippines – Venus Raj — who competed in the Miss Universe Pageant in 2010 and lost the crown because of a not -so- smart answer to the final question. janine

On Wednesday, Filipinos took to the streets again, this time to protest the failure of Manila to take the No. 1 spot in an international survey of “The World’s Ten Worst Public Transit Systems.”  Manila came in No. 2, second only to Mumbai.  “We were robbed,” protestors chanted. Protest organizer Elena Katigbak said, “Manila’s public transit system is the worst in the world, hands down! How can they take this great honor away from us?”

Katigbak continued, “Where else in the world can one find colorful funny cars (jeepneys) –complete with gas fragrance and obnoxiously loud stereos —  stinky buses, dilapidated taxi cabs and sardine-packed light railway system? And did I already mention the 24-hour standstill traffic?”

A Manila public official, who requested anonymity to avoid retaliation from his boss at the Department of Public Transportation, said that he suspects the foreign nationals who undertook the survey were probably met at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, whisked into air conditioned limousines with dark tinted windows,  treated with shots of Johnnie Walker Black Label and taken through backstreets inside gated millionaires’ villages before being dropped off at their 5-star hotel in Makati.  “They didn’t see the real public transport system of our Metropolis,” the official said.

As of press time, the Department of Foreign Affairs was reportedly preparing a formal letter of protest to the authors of the survey to demand that Manila be declared No. 1 and rescind the honor earlier given to Mumbai.